Purple Cocaine Prison
by Ebraheart
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto is an artist balancing his time between school and real life. He sees beauty in everything he draws and his favorite model is no exception. The question is, will he do something about it? (Original) MM,Yaoi(Note:Will Be R starting Chap.4 )
1. My Definition Of A Five Day Week

Disclaimer: I don't own anything…cept the fic.

Fic Warning(s): YAOI…AU, Mild Language, Mild Violence, Fluff/Lime/Lemon, One-Shot/First-Time/Multi-Chapter

Pairing(s): Naruto X Neiji

Others pairings mentioned

Legend:

Person's name: indicates whose POV it's in

Time: indicates the time/whereabouts

: indicates that time has gone by

**-Word-:** indicates a personal definition depending on the POV

'Purple Cocaine Prison' Naruto: My Definition of a Five Day Week 

Naruto

**-Monday/Getsuyobi-: The single _worst_ day of any week…I'm _never_ on time for school on Monday…I always forget my homework _and _I always see Sasuke first thing in the morning on Mondays…not to mention the fact that I was _born_ on a Monday. If that's not bad luck, I don't know what is.**

Monday/Math class

His eyes were blue…sometimes a light silvery gray but they are always translucent and clear. He is always being serious, playing sports his hardest and being the first to hand in assignments. If I hadn't known him since we were young, I would've thought like the majority of the high school populace that he was inhuman or at least not really a teenager. I know for a fact that it is simply the way he is. He works solely to achieve perfection, or at least something close to it. He doesn't sit around and make friends, he doesn't date…he doesn't even seem to be bothered to pay attention to trends or styles. I don't either, but that's because _I_ don't _want_ to fit in.

_He _could have cared less.

He took up all the hardest courses and put forth the most effort in everything. He rarely spoke about anything that wasn't school related and was probably the most self-sufficient person I had ever met. Normal people require emotional support and stuff…not him.

I settle back into my desk, watching him but not being obvious about it. I'm not sure if he knows, but sometimes he'll look up at me and give me this look. I've never been able to tell if he's annoyed or just trying to tell me he knows exactly what I'm doing. He hasn't said anything directly to me about stopping, so I never did.

I angle the sketchbook across my lap and press my pencil to the paper. My hand moves in arcs and practiced motions, tracing the line of his jaw and the very slight arch of his nose, the full curve of his cheek and the tilt of his eyes. The long hair that reaches halfway down his back is hardest. I pause and glance at him inconspicuously.

Presently, he's bent over his notebook and taking notes like he's supposed to…unlike me. The long hair is tied back in a loose braid, sliding over his shoulder and the end trailing across the desk in front of him as he leans forward to flip to the next page in the math textbook. I take a second to vaguely sketch the contour of the braid, adding a few wisps of loose hair.

Beauty isn't beauty without slight imperfection. He was beautiful, in a way, but _too_ immaculate. For one reason or another, I had a habit of drawing things that weren't really there. A wrinkle in the shirt here, a hole in the jeans there. It didn't take much, but it was enough. If I went as far as to dress him up in my bright orange sweater, black jeans and black and white sneakers, he'd look unnatural, although still beautiful. Anyway, I draw the line at messing with my portraits, in his case, at a wrinkle or two and a few wisps of not-actually-loose hair.

The teacher glances up from the front of the room and looks right at me. I grin sheepishly and duck my head down, pretending to take notes and shading in Neiji's hair instead.

Around me, other students are busily working on math problems assigned for homework. I don't bother since I have work today and it's not like it'll get done anyway…Instead, I sketch. Sketching is my safe-heaven, my way of escaping the world. In my sketches, people don't treat me the way they do…I'm not adopted because my parents didn't have to give me up because they were too young to care for me properly…in my sketches, the world is actually a nice place.

I finish the picture by signing the corner of the page in my messy artist's scrawl and add the date as an afterthought. Proudly, I prop it up in front of myself and take a good look. I've been drawing Neiji for a long time, probably even as far back as since before we first met in elementary school and I was still learning to draw, and I've practically memorized the way he looks. This portrait is slightly better then the last one I can remember drawing although the differences are so minor that I can't be bothered to call in an improvement.

I tuck away all my stuff and pull my oval, one-strap backpack on and stand quietly. The clock at the front of the room ticks quietly and no one looks up as I very discreetly walk by. By the time the bell actually rings, I'm slipping out the classroom door and disappearing into the crowded hallway.

**-Tuesday/Kay obi-: Possibly one of the only good things about a week. By Tuesday, I've usually sorted my crap out…it still sucks though; I have to pay rent on Tuesdays…**

Tuesday/Spanish Class

Someone up there has a sick, twisted and sadistic sense of humor. Second semester is supposed to be an opportunity for students to start again…in different subjects…and NOT get placed in the same class as their mortal enemies. That's definitely mistake number one…mistake number two is to put said evil person at the same table as you…and no, it does get worse. Mistake number three is to place you _and_ said evil person in the _back_ of the class where the teacher can't actually stop your mortal enemy from murdering you.

Would Sasuke _want_ to sit back there with me, even if it meant being away from his fan club, having to do projects with me _and_ generally being contaminated by my presence? Of course he would, if the way he half smiled at me, eyes promising cruelty, as the teacher assigned our seats was any indication at all.

I have only one thing to say: _Crap_, why me?

So here I am, hoping against hope that Sasuke will at least lay off till lunchtime, while nervously sketching on the corner of the desk I share with the prince of darkness himself. The teacher starts to take attendance in this slow, I'm-still-not-awake-yet morning voice.

I decide that if I'm going to be trapped here until I can figure out a way out of this mess, I better get my bearings; you know, find out what's what.

First thing I notice: in the seat right in front of us are Sasuke's two biggest fans and my biggest nightmares.

Sakura and Ino have had crushes on the demon sitting next to me since kindergarten. Disturbing? Yes. That aside, they are considered to be the two prettiest girls in school. Which is cool to know if you like girls that have been known to demonstrate extremely violent tendencies and are both verbally abusive. They also hate each other's guts. In public, they have this whole we've-been-best-friends-forever vibe. In Sasuke's presence they might has well have been complete strangers…

In front of those two are Kiba and Neiji's cousin Hinata. Kiba's a massive pain in the ass since I can easily group him into the people-out-for-my-blood category right alongside Sasuke while Hinata falls into neither of the other two other categories of people I have: Spasmodic weirdoes or Don't-even-know-I-exist-people.

She's nice to me, I suppose, but she's _too _nice. Kind of like the way Neiji is _too_ perfect. That family is like…well, anyway, it's creepy. My eyes travel to the table next to Kiba and Hinata's and I try to see who was sitting next to Rock Lee.

My mental tally of the people in the class is cut short when Sasuke makes his first insult of the day, "Checking out Lee, Uzumaki? That's sick" he comments innocently.

I sit back heavily but steel myself. I will _not_ be provoked. People are not aware of my sexual preferences and I'm not going to hand it to them on a silver platter by getting all defensive; I'm not stupid. They have enough to tease me about when they feel like it; I'm not willing to add the fact that I like guys _and_ girls to that list. Instead, I shrug and raise an eyebrow at him disinterestedly.

Black eyes stare back, equally passive. Sasuke crosses his arms over his chest and half smirks. Sasuke, if I'm totally honest with myself, is actually probably right up there next to Neiji on my list of drop-dead-see-but-can't-touch-cool-as-ice-gorgeous-guys. But then of course, that's _only_ when I'm being honest with myself.

Sasuke, as usual, is dressed all in black and wears blood-red Zen beads around his left wrist. Already starkly pale skin looks even more luminescent and soft because of the contrast between the black clothing and said pale skin. Black hair falls loosely into his face.

Yeah, he's hot. So sue me. He's still an asshole though…

Anyway, the Lee comment gets the girls attention and Sakura whips around to give me her best grossed out look, "What! You're joking, right? I thought even you'd have better taste Naruto"

It's said mockingly and only to try and get a rise out me and _hell_, it's not even ten o'clock yet! Like I said though, they _won't_ get a rise out of me…even if it _kills_ me.

Smoothing all expression from my face, I flip her the finger, "I do have better taste, and that's why you're _not_ even on my list of _most _disliked people. Off the radar and out of sight…bitch"

The last part is mumbled but I guess she heard cause her face gets all red and it looks like I've just dug my grave.

My ever-helpful mental sarcasm kicks in: 'Here it comes! Hold onto someone you love!'

Shockingly, Sasuke intervenes. Not verbally, mind you, but he does scowl in a sorta irritated way. Does the trick, like magic practically, since Sakura just mumbles a vague apology to him and turns back to face front like a good soldier. Ino takes the opportunity to tease the crap out of her while I give Sasuke my best what-the-hell-are-you-up-to-and-don't-think-that-I'm-not-onto-you look.

He just stares coolly back.

Class resumes after the teacher finally manages to dig herself out of under all her papers littering her desk and Sasuke goes back to ignoring me, which would be great if I could draw. Unfortunately or fortunately, depends, Sasuke doesn't know that I draw. God knows what he'd do if he knew.

I repress a shudder and pretend to pay attention to the lesson. This semester is going to be as crappy as the first one, I can already tell.

**-Wednesday/Suiyobi-: The day on which I usually pray. For anyone whose wondering, it's usually because I want to thank God for getting me this far in the week…**

Wednesday/American History

"Christ, Skika! Wake up!" I whisper harshly

The guy presently using me as a pillow and one of my only friends, Shikamaru, stirs only slightly and continues to mumble sleepily. Haku, another friend of mine, prods him none too gently but it gets a reaction about as exciting as dry mulch.

God, this guy sleeps like a rock!

Haku leans over him and reaches over to pinch his nose. All this gets is a lazy half-swat. Sighing, I slouch a bit further into my seat to make the best of the situation. I'm relived when the new position is easier on my seventeen year old back.

At the head of the room, Neiji is meticulously taking notes…like normal...or abnormal. The guy is never _not_ working. I think that's one of the things I admire about him though…

Haku rips a sheet of lined paper out of his boyfriend Zabuza's notebook and quickly scribbles a note on it and tosses it over.

I frown at it and then him in turn and reach out gingerly to read the note.

It takes me a minute to read the looping cursive on the page: 'I didn't see you all yesterday! What classes do you have? Any with Neiji? '

I reach for my pencil case and grimace when I'm met with resistance in the form of Shika's body, which is _still_, mind you, half draped over me. Growling under my breath, I reach harder and finally get a hold of a pen.

Quickly, I scrawl an answer in my brusque writing: 'Like two with Neiji…and no, we have a single class together on Day One…Sasuke's in my Spanish and Gym class though…'

I toss it over none too stealthily and breathe a sigh of relief when the teacher doesn't seem to notice.

Haku reads it over and makes a face. He glances over at me and mouths: 'Sasuke?'

I make the I'm-afraid-so face and watch, amused, as Haku pulls another face. Next to him, Zabuza yawns quietly.

Shika doesn't bother getting up till the lunch bell rings.

**-Thursday/Mokuyobi-: The great thing about Thursday is that it's the day right _before _Friday; that makes it good in my books. Other then that, I can honestly say that it can actually suck just as bad as Mondays…teachers always give me massive amounts of homework on Thursdays…to be completed _for_ Friday…_ugh_**

Thursday/Gym

_Christ_. I'm never going to survive this class. I'm pretty good at sports, most guys are. I'm a team player and all, but what happens when _most_ of your team is out to get you?

Kakashi-Sensei, the gym teacher whose head is always buried in a pervert book, is legendary for being the most laid back teacher _ever_. A good thing because he's a nice guy and has a pretty chill personality although he's kind of got a fruity sense of humor.

It's a bad thing too because he doesn't always seem to be paying much attention to what he's doing, _especially_ when he assigns us to groups and I get stuck with _Kiba_, a new foreign exchange student named Gaara, Shikamaru, _Sasuke_ and Neiji. Haku and Zabuza are both in other groups.

I can tell this is going to be a painful experience right off the bat.

When you're assigned to a squad, you have to _sit_ with these people while Sensei does attendance, play against other teams _together_ and get along lest Sensei finds need to award demerits for crappy conduct or cheeky behavior towards each other…which sucks massively.

Decked out in white Nike track pants and a black muscle shirt, I plunk down between Shikamaru and Neiji, which is the safest place to be at the moment. Sasuke and Kiba are sitting nearby; Kiba sprawled on the floor comfortably. Gaara sits on the end of our croaked row.

Sensei wanders in _ten_ minutes late and gives us some crusty excuse that he had to save some cat from a tree or something and laughs good naturedly when we give him guff. Attendance is quick and he declares that we're going to play basketball.

I roll my eyes towards the ceiling and thank whoever's listening; I'm actually really good at basketball. If it had been volleyball, I might as well have killed myself.

We have a humongous gym so all five six-man teams will be playing at once. We play fifteen minutes every individual team, winner moves on, loser waits on the same court for a new opponent. All the while, Sensei will be grading us. How? Fuck if I know; he'll have to get his nose out of that book though…

We're on the second court and we have to decide whose gonna jump ball at center.

Neiji, being team captain makes the decision. He turns to me, "You're center forward, Sasuke and I are going to assist. Gaara and Shikamaru will be defense and Kiba can sun-on when he feels like it"

Shika shrugs and motions for Gaara to follow him.

Sasuke can't resist making a snarky comment while we move up, "You sure that's a good decision Hyuga? We're not out to lose you know"

He smirks at me and I cluck my tongue and pretend not to see him. I'm here to play, not crap around with Sasuke. Sides, I don't wanna look like an idiot for arguing with Sasuke in front of Neiji.

Passive, cool-as-ice Neiji glances up briefly, "No, we're not"

Simple as that. He doesn't even feel the need to justify his answer. I'm pretty sure he put me as center forward because we usually see each other early in the mornings. I catch my bus early to come play ball when there's no one on the court to raze me and he comes early cause he's the model student; I'm not being sarcastic by the way. He knows I'm pretty good. By unspoken agreement, he doesn't go around telling people my business although we actually see each other a lot outside of school. Frequently even.

I'm jumping Lee for the ball and the guy is seriously a bit taller. I grin; this is going to be fun. People think that just because I'm short for seventeen, they can demolish me at basketball. _Wrong_!

We set up and Sensei starts the game on the first court and wanders over to us. He grins when he sees me and prepares to toss the ball.

Offside, the student teacher blows the whistle and Sensei tosses the ball up. Lee jumps, I jump and you can practically already see Lee's team players moving up in anticipation of receiving the ball.

Imagine their surprise and everyone elses when I tip before Lee gets to it, drop gracefully and jet forward; Neiji and a slightly surprised Sasuke close behind. Neiji passes me the ball and I drive till I'm met with resistance. I'm too tired for theatrics today, so I toss Neiji the ball. He moves up and passes to Sasuke, who ends up passing back towards me since I'm open all of a sudden. I cross over the only guy who chases after me and take a shot. Goes in clean, complete with a swish and I can't resist the foxy grin that breaks out over my face.

When I turn towards the court, everyone has stopped playing and is looking at me in awe. Neiji's busy smirking in Sasuke's direction while Sasuke scowls at me.

Obviously, Sasuke doesn't take kindly to being wrong. I pull a face and stick out my tongue; this is _my_ game, it's not my fault _he_ doesn't know that.

I drop the face and grin…forty-five minutes left in the period and I'm just getting warmed up.

**-Friday/Kiniyobi-: The _only_ truly good day anyone ever has. Those other 'business' days are _totally_ overrated. It's the day where you can't help but be enthusiastic about school or work or whatever because you know, no matter _what_ you screw up in or _who_ yells at you, you won't have to see their faces or put up with shit again till Monday…and those two golden days known as the weekend? They are yours and nobody's business.**

Friday/After School

Like most schools, we have a baseball diamond. In Boston, baseball is a big deal since it's home to the Boston Red Sox. I've, personally, never been crazy about the game but seeing as how our school team has a game and almost anyone who is anyone would go, I'm there too. Not really as a team supporter but nonetheless a spectator.

The bleachers are wide and can comfortably fit most of our students as well as the ones coming from the visiting school. The football cheerleading squad is putting on one of those welcome-to-a-new-year dance presentations. That's normal since it's the first game of our school season.

I was wearing my hoodie up over my head and made sure not to make direct eye contact with anyone I might know or anyone who might know me. For once, I'd like to be out here and _not_ get messed with. I don't get into fights _that_ often if you can consider at least once a month 'not-that-often'. People have a tendency to _want_ to pick on me. I don't know if it's because I have a sign on my forehead that only bully's can see and if there is, it probably advertises in cheerful colors: 'Beat me up, _please_. I look helpless, I'm short _and_ I'm blond'

Sarcasm aside, it's a nice day and most people are eager to watch the game and not beat the crap out of me, at least not right at the moment. Ironically, I really feel safe when my hair is covered up and people's attention isn't focused on me. Boldly, in my opinion, I peek my head out of the isle I'm sitting in and scan the seats bellow me for signs of my favorite art subject.

He was sitting with his back to the baseball diamond and to me as well; eyes on the street behind the bleachers instead of the game. I was sitting only a few feet away, but my eyes were on him and nothing else. People around us cheered and shouted to encourage the players as the game started but I didn't take anymore notice then he did. I watch the way he turns and sits forward again, slight frown marring his face. Something must really be bothering Neiji if that frown of distaste was anything to go by.

He stood suddenly, moving off the bleachers and towards the school. Impulse made me follow. Whereas people unconsciously moved aside to let him pass, I practically had to fight my way to freedom. After school games weren't my thing anyway. It was better if I headed home too, especially if the subject of my art wasn't going to be around.

Besides us, there were few stranglers hanging out on school property and bumming around instead of watching the game, he and I are the only ones headed anywhere with a purpose in mind. He heads for the west-side entrance and I for the east. I pause long enough to admire him as a whole; I wasn't going to see him again till Monday probably. Pale skin, eyes a dull silver-blue, long hair swept back over strong shoulders and loose. Dressed in jeans and wearing his seasoned army-print bomber jacket; he looked comfortable.

I turn away and move to go inside.

I've always had a bit of a sixth sense. You know, that apprehensive feeling that crawls up your spine at impromptu moments and makes the fine hairs on the back of your neck stand up? I'm sorry to say that right at that moment, I felt it and that it definitely is never a good thing. Trust me, it never happens unless something weird is going to happen.

I am aware of someone approaching me. I pause. I don't glance up until they are right behind me. I'm hoping like crazy that it's not Sasuke. That kid drives me nuts _and_ he likes to beat the _crap_ out of me every once in a while…My heart sinks deeper into misery when I rationalize that it would _have_ to be Sasuke since he hasn't spoken to me yet or made any move to make my life hell and I _know_ he's still mad about Neiji being right about me being good a basketball. I can honestly say that scares me… my life is screwed up like that. If Sasuke _didn't_ do anything, that would mean I had somehow ended up in the twilight zone. I calm my breathing and decide that I better make this quick.

Steeling myself, I glance up and freeze on the spot when I see Neiji stop maybe a foot or two away and regard me with curious eyes. My mouth seems to dry up and I can't bring myself to say anything to him.

I breathe a sigh of relief, though the tension in my body doesn't dissipate. At least, I tell myself, it isn't Sasuke…

The ever sarcastic, and only full-time functioning side of my brain happily chimes in to remind me that if Sasuke doesn't do anything nasty to me today, someone else will…

Christ…

I focus back on Neiji and watch as his eyes narrow slightly, as if he's thinking on something. The look itself only flickers over his features. It's gone seconds after; the slight wrinkles on his forehead smoothing themselves out into his blank, trademark poker face, "Uzumaki?"

I nod, barely believing what I'm hearing. The guy _knows_ my name…well, everyone does, but _Neiji_ knew it. I mean, I've gone to school with the guy forever…but I didn't even think he knew I was around, much less that he might actually know my name.

He looks me over. Not judging, just looking over, "Busy?"

My throat closes up even tighter and I can only manage to shake my head.

Is he asking me what I think he's asking me?

He motions towards himself, "Come with me"

Correction, he isn't asking me…he's _telling_ me.

I nod again and follow him to the west-side entrance.

About an hour later, I've loosened up. Funnily enough, Neiji is actually not as tightly wound-up as I would've expected. He's not a seasoned conversationalist but he's honest…and really, really smart.

"What's this called again?" he questions from across the table.

"Ramen…R-A-M-E-N" I enunciate to pickle him off and grin at the look on his face.

He doesn't get mad though; he just glares at his chopsticks instead.

Between us, on the table, there are various vague sketches that I made. None of them are of him though…those are private. They tell too much about who I am.

Neiji had picked me up after school and asked me, very casually, if I wanted to hang out. I, dumbfounded, had just nodded and tottered along with him mindlessly. In the space of ten minutes, which is how long it took us to get here, I noticed several things during the car ride:

He _drove_ an _Audi_ and hummed Bitter-Sweet Symphony by the Verve.

He drove with his left hand and drummed his fingers on his knee with the right.

He had a tendency to finger comb his hair as he spoke but didn't speak unless spoken to.

So here we were, having an early dinner while he listened and I chatted his ear off. I couldn't help it. It's been a long time since I spoke with another human being the way I was speaking with him…If I'd gone home after school, it would've been to an empty apartment.

Neiji watched me use my chopsticks and seconds later, imitated me and managed to get the hang of it. He was a fast learner.

Neiji picked a charcoal sketch I'd made of the park just off the side of my apartment complex and flipped it towards me, "Excessive use of black", he commented.

I cocked my head and really looked at the picture. He was right, in a way, even though the black accentuated everything, it also gave the picture a somber look.

I nod, "Maybe…depends on the mood"

Neiji shrugs, hair flowing over his shoulders with the movement, "You have a lot of dark moods then"

It's a fact, not a comment and not meant to be a remark taken badly. I scan over the other pictures and realize he's probably right.

I shrug; I've got a perceptive guy on my hands, "And that can be changed _how_?"

Neiji sets aside his ramen cup gingerly as he reaches across the table and takes my right hand loosely in his left. I flinch but recover fast enough that I don't expect him to have seen.

"Here", he says lightly while tracing the tips of my fingers with his own, "Don't press so hard on the paper…lightly…not so much power from here", he switches to pressing his fingers to my wrist, "Use these", and he tweaks my pinky finger before laying my hand flat on the table.

I pause and glance down at my art. I cringe; it does look a little forced. Funnily enough, I'm surprised Neiji is so observant about little things like that, "Do you draw?" I ask abruptly.

Neiji glances at me and shakes his head, "I _used_ to"

I frown, "But why…"

"-Did I stop?" he finishes for me, "Because I was never really any good and my family… believed it to be a waste of my time"

I mull over this and conclude that although I knew very little about Neiji's family, there are lots of rumors about them. Nothing bad really but stuff about how all the kids are tutored in everything under the sun as soon as they're old enough to walk and weird stuff like that…

I glance at Neiji from under my bangs and watch as he picks up the ramen bowl just as gingerly as when he set it down and uses his chopsticks to get some noodles. Just as they are halfway to his mouth, I get a brilliant idea, "Come to my place!"

Neiji starts slightly and gives me his best what-the-hell look, "Don't _do_ that"

I grin sheepishly, "Sorry, but would you like to? I mean, I wanna show you something…"

He looks at me steadily, silver-blue eyes searching my own sky blue ones and finally nods and smiles very, _very_ slightly, "Alright"

My apartment is located practically ten minutes from the ramen place so it's a cinch to get there. It's small and clean although its not located in the best part of town. Neiji looks around absently. Not really judging the place but just taking in the different surroundings…or at least I suppose that they must be different. I'm sure he doesn't live in a place like this…

He parks his expensive car in the underground garage and I laugh at the fact that no other car present cost even _half_ has much as his silver two-door Audi. I usher him into the building by the back and attempt to make it upstairs without the hag spotting us.

No such luck. She pops out of the reception office at the front on her way out. She isn't really a hag or at least doesn't look like one, but her personality leaves something to be desired. She's a pale blond and wears little makeup though she's stacked in the chest department and is pretty fit, but she's definitely not to be taken lightly.

I urge Neiji into the elevator, but she smoothly sidesteps in and glares at me. Crap…

"Naruto, you brat, that wasn't very polite" she says pleasantly but I can see the small vein threatening to pop out of her forehead.

Neiji looks from her to me and back again before introducing himself, "Hyuga, Neiji. Pleased to make your acquaintance"

Tsunade-Hag nods towards him and smiles, "What'sa good kid like you doing hanging out with this brat?"

Neiji raises an eyebrow and doesn't answer.

Tsunade-Hag's grin broadens, "You'll do him some good. All his other friends are hooligans…"

"As _if_!" I interrupt, "Haku isn't, neither is Shika…and Zabuza…well, he behaves when Haku's around!"

The elevator stops and, thankfully, the hag climbs off, "Yeah _yeah_, take it easy Shorty"

I toss my book bag after her when the elevator door shuts and decide that I'll visit later to get it back. Neiji's sighs and I laugh when we both her Tsunade-Hag cursing after me.

Once we reach my floor, I gallop down the hall to my place. I lead Neiji right into my living room, which happens to have zero furniture save a red suede couch that Tsunade-Hag had recently re-upholstered for me. The room, put simply, has various windows, one large bay one and several smaller ones, that light the room. The lack of furniture is because of my need for space for paints and supplies. The walls are lined from top to bottom in detachable white paper and the floor is littered with paintbrushes, crayons, markers and various pots of bright pastel, oil and watercolor paints.

On the wall directly across from us, a half finished finger painting of the red couch is still drying. Absently, I instruct Neiji to put his stuff in the closet just off the kitchen. By the time he wanders back and sits on the couch, legs curled under him and watching me, I'm in my own little man-made world.

I trace a finger thru the still drying paint of the red couch and gently take the tacks out and pull it down to drape it over the small balcony that the only bay window opens onto. Re-entering the room, I glance about and decide that I feel like painting and Neiji is going to help.

"Ne, Neiji?"

He glances over, "Hn"

I grin and put my hands on my hips, "Wanna paint with me?"

His eyes widen a fraction and the surprised expression is soon replaced with a scowling one, "I thought you had something to show me…"

I can feel myself resisting the urge to roll my pretty blue eyes, "_Exactly_; it involves participation on your part…"

"Ah", he says, legs uncurling from under him and standing from the couch, "Alright"

I look him up and down, noting that he's still in his good clothes.

"We gotta change first!" I exclaim excitedly.

Neiji looks uncertain but shrugs in his laissez-faire manor.

I lead him into my cluttered room and dig thru my closet. By the time we've completely changes clothed, he's now decked out in beige sweat pants that have green and yellow paint on them and a faded black tank with red rose petals painted on. I safely tuck away my favorite orange sweater and pull on a dark violet tee and snug jeans.

Neiji smiles very slightly at the odd way we look and I ignore him and drag him back to the living room. As an afterthought, I make Neiji pull on a blue bandana to keep hair out of his face.

"So, this is what you do…" I start to say turning towards him and gesturing wildly as I continue, "Jus' dip your hands or fingers or whatever in the paints…um, we'll use all these over here, and just paint whatever comes to mind on the canvas paper, Kay?"

Neiji gives me the your-a-Martian-and-I-know-it look and tentatively dips a finger in the lightest blue I have.

"Light blue…interesting"

Neiji pauses, halfway to the canvas and turns about to look at me oddly. I grin and motion for him to continue, "You have to learn to chill out…this isn't a test"

To offer up a good example, I dip my entire right hand into bright, sunlight yellow paint and smooth my hand over the paper and attempt to create a circle that ends up becoming a lopsided oval. Next, I dip my other hand in black and add a cheesy smile and sunglasses to my weirdo sun. I grab a brush and dip it into the mauve, orange and light pink before swishing a few streaks over the sun to create the sunset look.

I stand back to admire the effect and Neiji makes commentary, "Grade 2 Drawing 101…"

"_Shut it_", I say good-naturedly, "Let's see _you_ do better"

Neiji, oddly enough, actually really gets into it then. At one point, I join in again and we're panting together, him leaning back to let me touch up something he drew or him reaching around me to smudge colors together. The afternoon slowly wears on and our painting makes less and less sense. A haphazard blend of colors and shapes and writing where no one thing is clearly discernible.

We both call it quits at the same time and retreat to the couch to admire our disaster. I try to point out to Neiji, which bits are his and which are mine and why but to no avail. Neiji is first to break the silence; uncharacteristic but welcome, "The point of creating this monster was?"

I grin and laugh, "No point, but anyway, I always thought that you can learn a lot about a person just by checking out what colors they frequently use and what kinds of things they draw consciously and even subconsciously without ever realizing it"

Neiji cocks his head toward the painting and asks me, very seriously, to tell him what I've been able to learn about him from our finger painting session.

I point to the top, far-right corner, "See those birds, the ones you did in black and purple? Birds signify freedom or lack of limitations because they can fly and aren't bound to any certain place…and those buildings you did, the ones at the bottom? They're all neat and straight and in black, like an adult would've drawn 'em, so that's like order and rules…conformist kind of…"

Neiji's eyes narrow slightly and a pensive look comes over his face.

A little uncomfortable, I prod him, "What? Did I say something weird?"

Neiji shakes his head; "No…you have better eyes then me…"

"What?" I scratch the back of my head. What's he on about?

I forget to ask again in favor of noticing that Neiji has yellow paint on the tips of some of his hair, "Holy crap! Neiji, C'mere!"

I grab him without preamble and hustle him into my bathroom. He still doesn't know why the hell I'm freaking out and is giving me the whole bewildered look. Well, he's raising an eyebrow curiously but I'm _pretty_ sure it can be classified as a bewildered look as far as Neiji is concerned in the expression department.

"_Look_!" I say while pointing at his reflection in the mirror and holding up the strands of painted hair.

Neiji raises an eyebrow and shrugs.

I pull a face, "I'm sorry, I was the one using the yellow…I musta gotten some in there by accident…"

Again, Neiji shrugs, "I'll just cut it off…"

"What!" I wave the paint stained strands at him, "It's _not_ like that! You can't just…"

"It's no big deal", he says while reaching over to the counter where I have small pair of blue scissors sitting innocently.

I pull him away from the counter and maneuver him over to the tub. After I sit him down on the edge comfortably, I give him my best mock-stern expression, "Obviously, your on crack…just…sit still, alright?"

Neiji gives me the poker face "…"

"It'll only take a minute…" I say, half convincing him and half pleading with him.

Neiji's poker face is not to be shattered, "Why are you so worked up about my hair?"

I give him my best Look of Duh, "It's really nice hair…I can't believe you care so little about it!"

Neiji mulls over this while I get warm water, my shampoo and a washcloth. No more protests are forthcoming as I wet the hair and gently set about trying to rub out as much of the bright yellow paint with the washcloth and shampoo as humanly possible.

After maybe a whole twenty minutes of me humming absently to myself while Neiji sits stock still, I rinse everything and step back to survey my efforts…

I'm no expert at hair dye, but if I didn't know better it would probably pass as blond tips…Neiji's hair was such a stark dark brown that it masked the brightness of the sunlight yellow almost…_phew_

"Sorry 'bout that…"I remember to say while cleaning up.

Neiji shakes his head and stands to leave, "I'll go get changed…"

"Sure, go ahead" I say while I try to avoid splashing water all over myself while dumping the out the bucket unceremoniously into the tub.

I watch out of the corner of my eye as he turns and pads off in the direction of my room. I sigh and finish up before heading of after him

I come in, change and leave, and am gone as quickly as I came in since I notice Neiji on his cell. I poodle into the mini-kitchen and make myself hot chocolate and wait for Neiji to make an appearance. It doesn't take long and I watch, very amused, as he walks thru the hall and into kitchen as casually as he would have if he'd been at his own house.

He's just now tucking away the little silver phone. We eye each other and I star laughing abruptly, "What?"

Neiji shrugs, "I have to go…"

"Kay" I murmur quietly, a little disappointed, and sip at my chocolate. I get up to follow Neiji into the hall, mug still in hand.

At the front door, Neiji turns on me and pulls the black tee I lent him out of its hiding place in his bomber jacket pocket, "May I keep this?"

I grin, "If I say yes will you tell me why?"

Neiji cocks his head, pensive, "This was…a good experience. I'd like to do it again…sometime"

My eyes widen and I almost drop the steaming mug I'm holding. Neiji catches it and hands it back to me cautiously.

"Does this mean we're going to be friends?" I ask a little meekly.

Neiji rolls his eyes and for the first time ever and I am on the receiving end of his first exasperated look, "I would think so"

I grin, "You sure? You might regret it…"

Neiji raises an eyebrow and turns to let himself out. Before he does, he turns around and takes my arm. I flinch slightly and I notice that Neiji frowns. I didn't mean to, it's just that…people touching me makes me uncomfortable…besides, I've been touched for the wrong reasons before and I'm still recovering.

He tactfully pretends like nothing happened and pulls a pen out of his pocket and writes, very gently, a phone number across the inside of my arm, up near my wrist.

I glance at it briefly and get an answer before I ask for one while Neiji tucks away the pen, "It's my cell number…calling me at home would be a nightmare"

I grin and watch as he let's himself out.

Once the door is shut, I drain what's left of my hot chocolate and go dancing off in the direction of the bathroom. I'm bushed so I'll have a quick shower and head to bed. It's only nine o'clock, but I guess having company over for the first time since…_ever_…I'm not used to it so it took a lot out of me. I can't say, though, that I ever remember having this much fun finger painting…

Fridays Rock!

Ebra: Review please…Ja! Comments are welcome…and also, I have a habit of switching tenses when writing, was everything all right?


	2. Reality 101

Ebra: Massive props go out to all the people who reviewed. I have an explanation for the title of this fic but I can't explain just yet since I wrote up an explanation but when I read it to my twin he just kind of blanked out. Therefore, either it didn't make any sense or he's just being stupid. In any case, I'll post an explanation when I can figure out how to express it in readable English **laughs**

This chapter is not going to be **that** exciting, but I'm still setting the scene for the fic and therefore will be taking a peek into all the lives of specific people…the others come later. Also, I used some simple Japanese words I know that are fairly common but will still supply translations. This is not to insult anyone who does know simple Japanese, but more for the sake of practicality. It is only an experiment and if people would rather no translations, please let me know

PS Sorry about the basketball part in the fic. Someone reviewed and told me where I screwed up. Gomen, my brother plays basketball but I hardly pay much attention. I like watching sports but I'm really into American football mostly and even then, I only watch. I don't know anything about the rules. Therefore, excuse me ahead of time for any mistakes I make in reference to activities that I have not actively tried or participated in.. '

Disclaimer: I don't own anything…cept the fic.

Warning(s): See Previous chapter(s) but nothing major in this chap.

Pairing(s): Various

Legend:

Person's name: indicates whose POV it's in

Time: indicates the time/whereabouts

: Indicates that time has gone by

Word-: indicates a personal definition of something depending on the POV

'Words': indicates a person's thoughts

'Purple Cocaine Prison'

'Reality 101'

Naruto/Saturday Morning and Dead to the world

"He's probably still asleep, the baka"

"Doko/Where?"

"Down the hall…there"

"Ah, shall we go wake him up, then?"

"Wakarenai/I don't know. You're then one who dragged me here"

"Soka/Is that so? Who called me and asked if were still going out?"

"Yes, well, that was a mistake. Besides, we still ended up here because of you, therefore, you'll go and I'll follow"

"Ryoukai/Roger!"

Two figures creep down the hall into Naruto's room.

"Hn…now we have to wake him up"

"Kantan/Easy!"

"You wish"

The two figures come closer to the bed and peer at the sleeping face and mussed hair visible above the sheets. One of the two figures begins to prod at Naruto.

"Oi, Gaki/Brat!"

No response.

"OI, Yaro/Rascal!"

Naruto rolls over.

The taller of the two sighs, "This isn't going to work, is it?"

The other grins somewhat evilly, "Hold on…"

"Ketsunauno/Asshole, you didn't have to dump water on me…and you got my bed wet!"

Shikamaru just shrugs, "What was I supposed to do? Wait for you to wake up?"

I scowl at him, thinking that strangling him would be fun right about now. He doesn't even have the decency to look sorry.

"Teme/You…"

Again, Shika just shrugs.

Eventually I relax and notice that Haku has already puttering out to the kitchen.

Looking Shika over, I realize that we must be going out today.

His hair is up, as usual and he's wearing one of his favorite shirts. It's a black long sleeve that says in bold white print: "Didn't See, Don't Ask, Won't tell". His pants are green cargos and he's wearing his sneakers inside my place, the idiot.

Haku pops his head in to see if I've gotten out of bed yet and is dressed in a light green button-down, faded jeans and beach sandals. He also went and painted his nails and toenails dark green.

Distractedly, I climb out of bed and have my own shower and leave those two to their own devices. Freshly showered, I grab my faded blue jeans and my oversized black hoodie with the spiral across the front.

Haku busied himself in the kitchen making me breakfast and Shika is scrutinizing my art.

I plop down at the table and dig in when Haku sets a plate of toast down in front of me.

"So", Haku says conversationally as he sits casually across from me.

"So?" I answer, my mouth half full

Haku smiles, "Where were you yesterday? We were supposed to go to the clinic and you didn't show"

Uh Oh…trust me to forget!

"I was…huh, out"

"Hn…mind telling me where you really went?"

I finish the last piece of toast and avoid having to answer Haku for another minute when I take a massive sip of my orange juice, "I didn't go anywhere…"

Shika wanders in and plops down next to me, "You're the crappiest liar I've ever met"

"Why you!"

Haku laughs, "Tsunade-Sama let us know that you had a visitor… and apparently ne didn't leave till well after nine-ish…"

I scowl. Tsunade-Hag could always be counted on to make things worse, "Yeah, so?"

Shika and Haku exchange a 'look' before turning back to me.

Haku shrugs, "Well, we were just wondering how it went…considering you were with Neiji…"

I scratch the back of my head, "We're okay…we just talked"

Shika shifts in his chair, "And painted…"

Haku pales, which shows how surprised he is.

Shika shoves his hands in his pockets, "You never paint with other people…especially not right off the bat like that. Remember when we met? Took you forever to trust me"

I glance at Shika guiltily but all I can see on his face is curiosity.

Haku still looks scandalized.

I grin, trying to ease the tension, "Look, it just occurred to me all of a sudden…besides, I wanted him to loosen up"

Haku finally speaks, "Shika…you realize what's happening, don't you?"

Shika shrugs.

A smile spreads over Haku's face, "Our baby boy is growing up"

I growl and toss a nearby book at him

When we finally leave my place, I'm thoroughly annoyed. Haku's been asking me questions non-stop since the 'Kitchen Incident'. Shika, thankfully, just kind of told me to be careful in his own offhanded way and left it at that.

We pile into Haku's green Volkswagen beetle and I realize that I haven't got a clue where were going, "Ne, where are we going anyway?"

Shika shrugs.

Haku straightens his rearview mirror and starts the car, "The clinic"

I groan, "Why?"

"Because, I said so", Haku answers childishly.

Shika signs, "He's going because you ditched him and now we both have to go with him…this is, naturally, all your fault"

I stew silently in the backseat for a bit before realizing that I still don't know why we're going to the clinic, "Ne, what for?"

Shika waves a hand vaguely in the air; "He's donating blood or something equally strange"

"Really?"

Haku looks both ways before moving out into the street, "Because it's a nice thing to do"

Shika shrugs, "Or strange…have you ever considered the fact that even if you give blood, they're still going to need more?"

Haku smiles, "Yeah, but I have O positive type blood, so my blood can be used for anyone"

I wonder about that for a minute, "That is a nice thing to do"

Haku smiles at me in the rearview mirror, "I'm glad you agree"

Now that we're here, I regret encouraging Haku. These waiting rooms are the worse. There's fuck all to do!

I look around absently, trying to find something interesting to look at when a vaguely familiar head of deep red hair catches my eye. It's very hard to miss since no one else in the room has hair anywhere near that dark. Sitting up, I glance at Shika, see that he's distracted, and decide he won't miss me if I were to run off.

Gaara is standing just outside the nurse's office, leaning casually on the edge of the long desk while the woman sitting behind him types quickly on a computer. He's decked out in a red shirt the same color as his hair. I like the shirt because it suits him. The arms are made of mesh-like material and it even has a little hood. The logo on the shirt is hidden beneath the black, baggy overalls he's wearing. The pant legs bunch around his feet and I can hardly see the black shoes he's wearing. A thick, leather studded belt completes his look.

Curious, I wander over casually and tug on his hood lightly.

Gaara turns around slowly and up close I get a look at some of the palest green eyes I've ever seen. The tattoo over his left eye is also a lot more intricate up close then from farther away. His eyes narrow for a moment and I can see that he's either not happy to see me or might not even remember who I am.

"Uh, hey, I'm Naruto" I say tentatively as he looks me up and down.

He turns to face me fully, face relaxing into a blank poker-faced look that is not unlike Neiji's, "Uzumaki"

I rub the back of my neck, sort of uncomfortable with the way he's scrutinizing me, "Yeah, we're in the same gym and physics class, remember?"

Gaara nods and pulls an earphone out his ear. I didn't notice he was listening to music, "Hai"

I smile slightly, "Why are you here anyway?"

Gaara makes a mildly irritated face and shows me the bracelet on his right wrist. It's one of those allergy bracelets that let you know that the person it's on has massive allergies to certain things.

"Ah…"

Gaara puts the bracelet hand in his pocket and shrugs, "Just a check up"

I muse over this, "Are you, like, fatally allergic to anything?"

Gaara smirks very slightly but doesn't answer.

I laugh, "Stupid question, sorry. So, uh, what were you listening to?"

Gaara runs hand slowly thru his hair and tilts his head pensively in my direction, "Anything"

I blink, "Anything? As in you're not sure…or?"

He shrugs and pulls an mp3 player out his pocket. He hands it over to me and I check out what song he was listening to.

Walkie talkie Man by Steriogram

I grin, "That's a really catchy song"

Gaara nods and glances past me, over my shoulder.

I glance back and see Shikamaru talking to Haku and they are both glancing in my direction. I guess Haku's done.

I look at Gaara, "Those are my buddies. The pretty one with the hair is Haku and the bored looking one is Shikamaru…"

Gaara nods once.

I pause, "So…I'll see you later?"

Gaara blinks slowly and looks me in the eyes before nodding decisively.

I turn to walk away but hesitate. I turn back to him again, "You wanna come with? I mean, we're going to see a movie…and have lunch…"

Gaara smirks, "I'll pas, see you later…Uzumaki"

I grin at the strangely comfortable way he says my name, "Yeah, see ya"

Back in Haku's car, Haku decides that questioning me about Gaara like it was the Spanish Inquisition would be a great way to pass the time. Both Shika and I ignore him and watch the passing scenery.

I think back to my brief conversation with Gaara and decide that what I really like about him is that quiet air of self-assurance and solidarity. The funny thing is that suddenly, I was seeing a lot of people in different lights and it's turning out to be a good thing.

Neiji/Thinking

There's a mild chill in the air but I hardly feel it as I go thru my routine stretches in practiced motions. The way my body moves already knowing what to do allows my thoughts to wander without requiring too much effort on my part. My unbound hair is a slight hindrance but putting it up gives me headaches sometimes, so leaving it down is best.

I pause, my right leg left suspended in mid air as I listen for a moment before resuming my stretch. A moment later my cousin, Hinata-Sama wanders hesitantly out into the yard. She pauses at the railing on the lower balcony but makes no move to approach or speak.

Out of courtesy, I stop completely and bow slightly to her, "Nan desu Ka/What is it?"

She wrings her hands nervously, "A-ano…breakfast is r-ready so…"

I nod, "Naruhodo/I see"

She waits for me at the railing and watches me not knowing that I know she's starring.

Hinata and I have had an unusual relationship since we were young. She is a Head family member and I, a Branch. The differences between us are both few and many. My strengths are not hers and her emotions are better controlled then my own…although, I am only inclined to think so when I'm calm. I don't like weakness and am dismayed by her lack of physical strength and apparent frailty.

The reason being mostly that although I am not open with my worries for her, I realize that she has weaknesses that are worse then my own, such as her lack of self-confidence. The irony comes from the fact that the family's most cherished successor is in actuality in no position to undertake the responsibility…well, not as she is now, anyway.

We make direct eye contact as soon as I step up onto the balcony next to her, my bare feet chilled by the dew on the floorboards.

She looks away, caught, "S-sumimasen/Excuse me"

I shrug, walking past her casually, "Don't apologize, you did nothing wrong…Hinata-Sama"

I do not receive an answer but she hesitantly follows me back into the main building. We go our separate ways as I turn to my room to have a brief shower and change.

By the time I arrive, most of the family is already seated. Although I am only a Branch family member, I am to sit at the main table with the Head family as I am to become Hinata-Sama's bodyguard if sorts when we are older. Interaction with the Head family is required, thus my special seating arrangement.

I politely excuse myself for being late and seat myself on Hinata's right.

Her father, my uncle, glances up from his conversation at the head of the table, "Neiji, you were out yesterday? Hinata was looking for you"

Silence washes over the table.

I pause and turn to him, "My apologies, I was busy"

My uncle nods and the entire table resume their conversations.

I breathe an irritated sigh of relief. My family is my family, but that does not mean that they don't drive me crazy…"

Another cousin of mine, Hiroto, asks about my hair.

As we are sitting on the teen-end of the table, the adults are not inclined to listen to our conversations. However, amongst ourselves, curiosity as to others goings on is common.

I don't glance up but answer politely anyway, "I dyed it"

Again, for the second time this morning, I am subjected to inquiring silence.

I elaborate, "A friend dyed it"

I hazard an upward glance; Hiroto and his brother are exchanging curious looks.

I shrug; my business is my business. Anyway, I doubt anyone here would approve of Naruto. They'd say he's loud…and irritating…and lacks discipline…Ironically, he seems free-spirited and open minded to me while being everything that any single person in this family is not. That alone makes him special.

Gaara/Bored out of his skull/Thinking

I toy absently with the bracelet and wait for Temari and Kankuro to finish their discussion. Whatever it is, it probably wouldn't interest me anyway. Glancing out the window, I watch the passing cars distractedly.

Since moving, I have found myself both daydreaming more and paying even less attention to the adults. Everyone has always told me what to do. Being a child prodigy didn't exactly allow me the freedom it did some. In my family, it was imperative that I always do a better job then anyone else. After all, I was Gaara, son of one of the most intelligent men in the world and owner of a profitable worldwide company.

My mother had died a long time before and I have never known the details of her death. Everyone keeps secrets from me, as though it would be best for me not to know.

Sighing, I toy with the bracelet around my wrist and absently wonder why I had to have a check up so soon when I'd had one before we left Japan. It's irritating to be repeating useless things…

Temari turns back to look at me from the front seat, "Did it go well, Gaara?"

I scowl and give a small, slightly sarcastic smile, "Any more impromptu tests I should know about or are we finally going home?"

Temari smiles back a bit. She's very used to my sarcasm.

Kankuro is driving and since we don't get along anyway, it's perfectly fine with me if he doesn't say anything.

Temari turns back to sit properly, "That should be it…but father would like if you went to see him"

My scowl deepens and I sigh deeply. When my father says he'd like for me to go see him, it means he expects me to go report him. Temari has a way of saying these things in a way that irritates me a little less but the fact is that they are not my father's exact words.

I nod absently. To my father I am Gaara, child-toy and puppet. He tells me what to do and generally, I do it.

I muse over this as I continue to watch the cars.

Gaara: plaything

Gaara: child-genius

Gaara: slave to caprice

Gaara, I think, has no freedom.

Shika/Slowly going mad

How the hell did I get myself into this situation? Why do I have to listen to this crap singing? Do they realize what a racket their making? People in other cars are starring for Christ's sake.

"Would you two put a damn lid on it?"

Haku and Naruto keep belting out: "This is the song that never ends…" like I never objected at all.

I sigh deeply and sink further into the passenger seat as I realize that they enjoy tapping on my nerves and therefore, have no intention of ever shutting up. I lower my window and lean on the side. Conversationally, I muse out loud, "Haku, I wish you weren't such a cautious driver…then we could crash and die and that'd be the end of my misery"

That seems to get an interesting reaction seeing as how they both stop long enough to laugh.

Haku pushes his orange shades higher up into his hair and glances over, smiling, "Is that a compliment to my driving?"

I grit my teeth and smile, mock-sweet, "I really, really resent your driving prowess at the moment…I really wish we would crash…so, no, it's not a compliment"

Naruto laughs from the backseat, "If you hated it so much, why didn't you say so?"

I flip him the finger while calmly pretending I didn't hear him to begin with.

Naru laughs some more and declares that if I hate their singing so much then they should turn on the radio instead. Briefly, I wonder if it's possible to die quickly and painlessly by jumping out of a moving vehicle and immediately getting run over by a carrier truck currently behind said vehicle.

Logically, the answer is a resounding no, but the idea is pleasant. I would do anything to escape. I groan to myself; I should've known better then to go out with these two on a Saturday when I could've just as easily stayed home with Choji and watched cartoons.

Absently, another interesting thought occurs to me which I decide to voice: "Do you realize that hanging out with you two has the same effect as taking a double shot of tequila and going bungee jumping directly afterwards?"

Haku laughs, "We're that much fun?"

I grin slightly, "No, you're just about as dangerous"

Naruto laughs his ass of in the back and I promise myself that next time I will stay firmly planted indoors, preferably with Choji, and chilling instead of going shit disturbing around downtown Boston.

Sasuke

The alarm next to my bed indicates that's already about two in the afternoon. I sit up and brush strands of black hair out of my eyes. Glancing at myself in the mirror on the wall across from my bed, I muse that the dark blue highlights that I went for yesterday are a lot nicer then I thought they'd be. I suppress yawn and crawl out of bed.

The dark blue, velveteen curtains are blocking all the sunlight, so I open the first three and leave the other two. I head into the adjoined bathroom and have a quick shower before rummaging around in my walk in closet for something comfortable and, surprisingly, not black. I woke up today with an urge to wear some red, my second favorite color. Go figure.

A pair of white sweats and a red tee later, I am ready to leave the sanctity of my room and venture off into the rest of the apartment. Hn, apartment in name but not in size. I've never been a fan of penthouse suits on the fiftieth floor but Itachi is, so I didn't have much say in the matter from the beginning anyway.

I wander into the kitchen and pause to look at my brother, who just happens to be draped all over the counter top and doing a crossword. He looks kind of like a panther. Sleek, pretty even, but not to be touched. He suddenly looks up and our eyes lock. I can't help but scowl at him and he just stares coolly back.

He glances back down at the crossword and tucks a strand of his own black hair behind his ear, "That scowl gets worse every time I see it. Keep it up, maybe you might make me spontaneously combust someday"

'I wish' Outwardly, I just shrug and move to the fridge.

While I dig around to find the eggs and vegetables, I muse over Itachi's appearance this morning.

His hair is the same jet black as mine, longer and often worn up in a ponytail, like this morning. Our general resemblance ends there though. Whereas I have dark eyes, his are a shocking bloody red. Our skin is roughly the same, both being pale and a bit luminescent, but he brings attention to himself far more then I do. He paints his nails a dark mauve, wears several rings and even has his tongue pierced. He's shirtless and wearing black silk pants and a matching robe¼and he still hasn't gotten the hell off the counter!

"Itachi…" There is a hint of a warning in my voice.

He blinks slowly at me before rolling gracefully off the counter and landing noiselessly on his feet, "Happy now?"

I put down a plate and don't wait to see if he's going to eat it.

People have a tendency to really fawn over him though. He's smart and everything, but ever since the car accident a couple of years ago, he and I haven't been the same. We live together like acquaintances instead of brothers. He never asks me where I'm going or when I'll be home and I never ask him if I should pick up anything at the store for him or tell him when anything important is scheduled. We're completely independent from each other in a sense that is both physical and mental.

It happens, sometimes, when people will ask about Itachi and I'll have no idea what to say. I mean that in the sense that we rarely bother to know what the other is up to; you could ask me where he is and I could never tell you, even if he was at home taking a nap.

It's that bad…

When I turn back to the counter, Itachi is seated and eating, albeit distractedly. The crossword is finished and discarded and his mind is outside, with the world, instead of in here with me in the kitchen. I don't comment and decide that quietly having breakfast together might not be such a bad idea. Seems almost normal.

Presently, Itachi turns back to me, "Some girl called this morning"

I don't have to ask to know that it was Sakura.

Itachi's focus seems to turn inwards and we both continue eating absently.

Somehow, I end op thinking of Naruto. He's loud and kind of obnoxious but I can't shake the feeling that if he'd been me, he wouldn't have let the situation with Itachi get so bad. Itachi wanted to get away from me after the accident and I let it happen, not understanding that it was the worst thing that I could've done. The void between us is clear and unmistakable and although we do an excellent job of faking a close relationship when required in public, we're hopeless with each other at home.

I sigh, "Aniki…"

Itachi looks up suddenly, surprised and alert, probably because it's been forever since I called him that; "Nani?"

I search for the words to say but the phone rings and jumbles my thoughts. Itachi makes no move to get the phone, patiently waiting for me to say something but I shake my head and motion for him to go. He hesitates but when the phone rings again, insistently, he strides out of the kitchen and I hear him pick up the cordless out in the hallway.

So much for spontaneity…

Which brings me to think: How does Naruto do it?

Naruto/Part Time Job

Remember how I said that I have a tendency of seeing both Sasuke and Neiji outside of school? Well, my part time job is why. I work at an art store that doubles as an art gallery. The reason I see Sasuke is because he's always dropping by to pick up art supplies and drop off new paintings. At first, I thought that was pretty curious. I mean, Sasuke doesn't draw, does he?

I ended up finding out that Sasuke's older brother is Uchiha Itachi who happens to be a prominent rising artist. He's known all over the net and some of his art is displayed in some very important art shows. People think that given another year or so, he'll be as well known as some of the pros.

In any case, we don't talk much. I've only met him while working a handful of times. Usually, he doesn't really say anything nasty to me, which I'm thankful for because my boss, Anko, would have a field day with it if she ever caught me being picked on.

After the movie, we had a quick lunch and Haku dropped Shika and me off at our part-time jobs. Shika works just up the street at this funky café. He's a waiter, which I found hard to believe, but apparently he's really popular. People get a kick out of his attitude and opinions.

I also meet Neiji here sometimes because he's often buying art. Well, not actually buying. There are usually orders made by his family and he'll drop by and pick them up. We also talk rarely because there is never anything to say.

In any case, I'm hoping that today will be quiet, especially considering that it's already pretty late in the afternoon.

So there I am, restocking paints because it needs to be done, when the bell over the door sounds. I get that little sixth-sense chill up my spine that I know spells doom but I had such a tranquil morning that I ignore it in favor of staying cool.

I round the corner of the paints isle and freeze when I see Sasuke standing just inside the door and absently walking towards the counter, cell phone in hand, package in the other and frowning.

He's wearing white sweats and a red shirt. His black hair has deep, midnight blue streaks that he must have recently gotten and is tied back with a white bandana. He looks more casual then I've ever see him. Sasuke isn't exactly a show off but the guy never goes out in public if he doesn't look more then good.

I can remember a time we went on a class field trip to the local pool and Sasuke had been all decked out in coral blue stuff and had gotten deep purple highlights. He had the whole Lifeguard-that-would-never-actually-dive-into-the-water-to-save-you-cause-he'd-rather-stay-dry-look down pat. Plus, he'd looked gorgeous…in a completely see-can't-touch way.

I hesitate but decide that I'm being stupid. I work here and Sasuke comes in regularly enough. Why am I nervous?

I slip behind the counter as he approaches, "Hey, how may I help you?"

He looks up, pensive; "I wanted to drop this of for the exhibition taking place Monday…"

I nod and break eye contact with him in order to label the package. It feels like three or four paintings stacked neatly inside brown wrapping paper; I leave a post-it note for Anko-San so that she knows whom it's from.

Sasuke fishes around his pocket in search of something and emerges with a list. He hands it over a bit distractedly and only glances over at me when I reach out to take the paper and our hands touch. As if the shock of looking each other in the face was really so great, we both freeze up.

Sasuke shakes himself out of it before I do and to my relief, doesn't tease or make a big deal about me spacing out. He just gives me this curious look and presses the paper firmly into my hand.

Dazedly, I move out of behind the counter and leave him standing there as I wander off to collect whatever the list says.

Now's a good time to ask: What the **hell** is wrong with me?

I quickly find what I need and head back to the cash to ring up Sasuke's stuff. Just when I'm handing over the bag and the receipt, Sasuke reaches out to catch my wrist. I flinch suddenly but he's too busy starring at my wrist so he doesn't notice.

Sasuke is one of the main reasons I can't cope with people touching me. When we were kids, Sasuke used to beat the living daylights out of me. As we grew up, so did he. He stopped physically screwing me up and opted for verbal abuse instead.

Mild panic starts to creep slowly up my spine when I realize that he still hasn't let go yet. Those memories are still too fresh and in a suddenly moment of slight hysteria, I yank my wrist away.

Sasuke looks at me calmly even though I can tell that my sudden recoiling movement has puzzled him.

I try to breath steadily and stay cool. I lay may hand flat against my chest and will my heart rate to slow down before it becomes painful.

"Was it me?"

I look up at Sasuke. He looks a little distressed.

I suck it up and laugh, "No, sorry. You just kinda-sorta scared the crap out of me when you grabbed me like that..."

He frowns doubtfully and shrugs, "Sorry, I saw a number on your arm and thought it was someone I knew..."

I sigh in relief and glance down at my wrist. Neiji's number stares back at me in bold, black permanent marker. I smile slightly.

"A friend?" Sasuke inquires casually

"A good one", I say, tracing the numbers with a finger

Sasuke falls silent and the tension between us crackles up again.

I think of a way to save the situation, "See you Monday..."

I leave the words hanging. Sasuke can either shoot them down with sarcasm or accept them for what they are: a simple way out of an uncomfortable conversation.

Thankfully, he chooses the latter, "Yeah...see ya"

We stare at each other a moment longer before he turns away and I look down at my hands folded in my lap. I listen as he makes his way out the front door, the only sound indicating his exit being the sound of the chime and the shutting door.

My body instantly relaxes but I have to rub my stomach for a bit; it kinda hurts all of a sudden. I glance around the store, note that it's empty and decide to make a quick phone call.

I reach over and pluck the cordless out of its place on the wall mount and dial the number practically tattooed into my wrist. When it rings almost four times, I start to loose my nerve and almost hang up when someone answers:

'It's about time you called'

I laugh.

Things can get weird but Neiji is the same as always...

Ebra: Sorry the ending was crap but I wanted to post another chapter. In any case, I'll post another, more exciting one over the weekend so bear with me. Also, please tell me how I did with my characterization. This chapter was basically for testing the water and giving everyone a bit more detail.

See you all next chapter


	3. Falling Uphill

Disclaimer: I don't own anything…cept the fic.

Warning(s): See Previous chapter(s)

Pairing(s): Various

Legend:

Person's name: indicates whose POV it's in

Time: indicates the time/whereabouts

: indicates that time has gone by

**-Word-:** indicates a personal definition of something depending on the POV

Talking: indicates person on the other line when Naru's on the phone

Ebra: Thanks go out to all the people that were bluntly honest with me and made lovely nice-nice comments; I honestly appreciated it, very encouraging. (Personally) I thought that I did a crappy job on the second chapter but I guess I was wrong. I'm also going to be sticking to Naruto's POV for a little while because doing all those other PO-views was like taking a plunge into the void aka inky and a bit confuzzling, Lol. I also will use Japanese and Spanish words only; translations will be posted at the end of the story since someone said that it messes with the flow of the story when they're smack in zee middle like that. Or are translations a good thing? No one mentioned it, so…

Herm…other then that, I'm hoping to do a proper job this is time

Also, I drew pics to go along with my fic. Please check them out if you like:

Haku: http: http: Cocaine Prison' Naruto: Falling Uphill 

Naruto/Getsuyobi

Daidaiiro-: Colors have always been a very important aspect of my life. Orange is the color that represents fire and flames, vigor and excitement, adventure and success, stimulating energy and endurance and I knew orange was my favorite color before I even knew what it looked like. Colors are like a singular way of advertising to other people what you're all about. For example, Sasuke's always wearing black, which represents authority and power, style and aloofness as well as being slightly overpowering. That really is Sasuke's color isn't it? Matches his personality anyway…

Didn't I mention before what a pain Monday's are? I wasn't joking either. I'm already late and I've only just gotten up. The alarm next to my bed lets me know, loudly, that it's been ten minutes since I woke up and I should've been out of bed twenty minutes ago. I'm crap at getting out of bed in the mornings so there was a lot of cursing going on while I fumbled around in the early morning fog that usually clogs up my brain if I'm awake anytime before ten.

I manage to get to the bathroom but fall asleep standing up while I'm brushing my teeth and end up having a short seven-minute shower because of it. I grab an orange sweater; hopefully one that doesn't say something it shouldn't and slip into black jeans. I dash past the kitchen and note that it's already eight ten.

I grab my bag and sneakers and shut the door with a bang as I fly down the hallway and into the elevator. I take a few minutes to put my sneaks on while the elevator's going down. Luckily, I thought to grab an apple before leaving and take a massive bite and sprint out to the bus top as soon as the elevator reaches the main floor.

The sky is still a pale gray. You've seen when it's like that, right? Where the sun is just starting to peek out and the sky is slowly turning rose and purple and pale blue and the gray is slowly being eaten away? It's beautiful, but I don't have time to think of art as I round the apartment building's corner and continue to run across the park.

Now that I'm 120 awake, I actually feel pretty good. I spent all of Sunday sleeping in and ignoring people's phone calls. I didn't think about anything; I just chilled. It was nice too, to be so rested and getting out into the early morning air. My hair was still mostly damp so the air gave me chills and made my skin break out into little goose bumps.

I'm pretty lucky, as usual, because I skid across the grass and show up just in time to catch the bus. The driver knows me and probably would've waited up a minute or two, but I'm proud of myself for making it out here. He laughs slightly when I hop up the bus steps, flash my bus pass and smile at him, half out of breath and half exhilarated.

I relax now that I'm actually on the bus and make my way all the way to the back and plop down into a seat. There are few people on the bus so I pull out my sketchbook and begin to draw. I do a quick sketch of Neiji with his hair down and stare at it curiously. I'm good at drawing Neiji from memory but I can't remember seeing him smiling like I'd drawn him smiling. Taking my pencil against the page, I try to recall where I may have seen him smile like that.

When I just can't remember, I shrug to myself and vaguely begin sketching. The funny thing is that, as I sketch, a face I recognize starts starring back at me from the paper. I start with dark, slightly slanted, frowning black eyes, black hair and a delicate nose, and to finish, a slightly frowning mouth to go with the eyes. I blink as I realize that I'm drawing the Sasuke I remember from last night. I drew the funny look he gave me before he left and the longer I stare at the page the more uncomfortable I start to grow.

I shut my sketchbook and put it away. Absently, I try to make a mental tally of things that I probably forgot…like the rest of my breakfast…but that's because I didn't get up when I was supposed to.

I lean back into my seat and prop my legs up and stare out the window. It's not until my apartment building is out of sight that I remember that I didn't actually lock the door to my place…

See, aren't Mondays crap?

It's like a whole sea of people milling around in the mornings. When I get off my bus and look across the length of the field, I see nothing but melting color. Since the high school I got to is the only one in Brockton, there are like five thousand students attending it. Even after I get there, there are still buses and buses full of teens getting off.

Crowds give me hives but there's nothing I can do about that…except may be go in early. So I do just that and walk around back and go in thru the back entrances. Inside, there are a few people wandering around but there isn't anyone I know. Digging around in my pockets, I look for my ID card and loop it around my neck and head up to the fourth floor in the Yellow building where my locker is.

Since I'm still slightly high on air, I take the stairs two at a time and even try for three but almost fall and crack my back and hip. These buildings are all massive and have massive stairways and hallways to go along with them. There are four main sections: the red, yellow, green and blue buildings along with the two gyms, the arts and electronics building and the center.

You get assigned to a sector or building and that's usually where you're locker is. Other then that, the color system is just a way of categorizing since there are so many students. Your actual classes are all over the darn place…

Up on the fourth floor, I'm still blissfully alone. My locker isn't far from where I am so I finally calm down and walk for a bit. My locker's pretty easy to notice since I kick it a lot cause it likes to stay wedged shut. It's got dents all along the bottom.

Grinning, I do my combo and give it a well placed kicked that causes it to pop open. I dump my book bag inside and take only my math binder, textbook and my cooking workbook. I'm tempted to take my basketball but it wouldn't be allowed anyway.

I glance around quickly and see that there still isn't anyone around. I place my books down by my locker and start to dribble. The sound echoes loudly in the empty locker bay and it gives me chills, the good kind. Grinning, I keep dribbling and practice passing the ball thru my legs. A sound off to my right startles me into dropping the ball.

Neiji hasn't noticed me yet. He's carrying a couple of extra math books and I figure he's probably been here since seven this morning. He's wearing dark blue from head to toe and his hair is up in the loose ponytail I like so much. He's got more bangs then I thought he did and they almost completely covering his eyes.

I hesitate a moment before tossing my basketball into my locker, grabbing my books and taking off after him. He turns to look at me before I even catch up. We stare at each other a moment. Silver-blue eyes look back at me from behind dark brown. The bangs aren't too long and they look really nice up close.

I tell him so.

"Hn"

I laugh, "It's a compliment, you know?"

Neiji nods and turns and keeps walking.

I walk with him, "Did anyone notice the paint in your hair?"

He glances over at me. I think he can tell I still feel guilty about it, "Yes, but it wasn't a big deal"

I breathe a sigh of relief and blush when Neiji laughs a bit.

"So…uh, how was you're weekend?"

Neiji shrugs, "Same as always"

I grin, "Mine was a nightmare…"

We've reached our math classroom and I hold the door open while Neiji walks in. I flip the light switch and the big clock says we've got about twenty minute before the bell rings.

Neiji's books are already on his desk. I trace the spine of his math book with a finger and absently put my books down in the empty seat next to his.

Neiji is suddenly back in my field of vision and I jump, "Don't DO that!"

He raises and eyebrow at me and I feel like I'm the one whose being stupid.

Neiji sits and motions for me to do the same.

For a minute, I can't think of anything exciting to say and just when I'm going to get up again, Neiji starts talking.

"I was surprised when you called yesterday"

I rub my jaw with my knuckles and shrug, "Uh, well, I felt like talking to you…sorry if I wasted your time, I didn't exactly have anything serious to say"

Neiji shakes his head, "It was nice"

That put me at ease and I laugh, "Your too nice to me"

Neiji brushed some bangs out of his eyes and turned to me, "What are you always drawing in that sketch book?"

I frown, "Which one? I've got zillions of them and-"

He cuts me off, "The hardcover, dark brown one. It has your name engraved into the front and a butterfly insignia in the lower left corner of the front cover. The back is littered with signatures and it looks older and more well kept then any of the other ones I ever seen you carrying around"

I sit there kind of speechless after that. He just smoothly changes subjects and described, to a tee, my favorite sketchbook. Coincidentally, it's the one full of pictures of him. I fidget in my seat and lean back on the back legs of my chair, "Uh, well lot's of stuff really…mostly people"

Neiji stays silent; I continue, "Like my friends and people who catch my eye. But they're not like normal pictures…like there's this one of Haku with his boyfriend and they're just holding hands. And when I saw them, I could remember thinking that they were so cute cause they were walking together but both looking in different directions and their hands were the only things keeping them together…it was like even though they both had things on their minds, they didn't forget to think of each other…I'm not making sense, am I?"

Neiji shakes his head again, "You make perfect sense"

I grin, "Thanks, now if we could get my English teacher to agree, we'd be set"

He smirks, amused.

I was balancing on the two back legs of my chair and not paying attention to how far back I was must've been leaning and for a split second, I know I'm going to fall. I feel it when I loose my balance and the chair starts to lean too far back. As if in slow motion, I reach out to grab the edge of the desk and miss.

I squeeze my yes shut and wait. The chair hits the floor but I'm held slightly over it. I hesitantly open an eye and grin at Neiji. His hands are wrapped around both my wrists and he, somehow, got up fast enough to stop me from cracking my head open.

I grin sheepishly, "Thanks"

Neiji smirks, "Chairs are for sitting or did you not know that?"

I stick my tongue out at him, "Thanks for the commentary, Senor Sarcasm"

The bell rings and we both hear it as people start to pile into the locker room. Neiji hoists me up and I pick up my chair. I make a move to go back to my usual seat but hesitate when Neji looks at me. Grinning, I plop down next to him, "You're so going to regret letting me sit here"

Neiji just smirks.

I stare at him a moment before turning away, "You smirk too much, what exactly would it take to wipe that expression off you face?"

Behind me, Neiji just laughs lightly.

Naruto/Cooking Class

Donburi - Now, if there is anything that can possibly strike terror in the hearts of men, it's going to be the idea of me in a kitchen. I eat noodles; stuff that you can buy pre-made…I've never actually cooked anything really big, ever. Now, another important thing to consider is me near all those sharp utensils. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I chose Cooking Class but maybe I was hoping that they wouldn't actually expect me to touch anything sharp…

The class itself it actually really nice, it just looks like a massive kitchen. The place is a fetching orange color and the stoves and fridges are all white. I liked this room as soon as I got an eyeful of the orange.

So far, no one I really know has come in so I'm thinking that I'm going to have some peace. Why is it, though, whenever you actually think life is cutting you a break it's actually not? This was one of those times.

Sasuke wanders in and is just finishing a conversation on his cell phone. He's wearing jeans, and Ecko shirt and a matching jean jacket. The blue highlights look way better then I remember them looking. He greets the teacher as he flips his phone shut and glances around. His eyes fall on me. I had attempted to melt into the counter top of my workstation but apparently it hadn't worked.

He tilted his head slightly and seemed to be considering something. I grit my teeth when a slight smile spreads over his face. I know that look as well as I know how to draw.

As predicted, he wanders over and sits on the end of my workstation. I decide right then and there that I won't provoke him but I won't move both since I've already picked this seat and I'm not going to let him have the satisfaction of thinking that he can scare me.

I smile sweetly at him instead, "Ohiyo, Sasuke-Kun"

He raises and eyebrow, unfazed, "Back to normal, right?"

That shuts me up. If he's going to torture me by trying to remind me how I made an ass out of myself on Saturday when he came by the shop, then I may just seriously consider moving. I'm a brave guy when the situation calls for it, but battling the prince of darkness first thing in the morning might be a bit beyond me.

Luckily, Gaara is last to wander in right when the bell goes.

I wave to him and he nods slightly and comes over. You can have as many as four at a workstation and Gaara is only the third so I'm sure it'll be cool. Gaara and Sasuke eye each other and both frown simultaneously.

I intervene since I think that those looks more like a challenge then just basic scrutiny, "Gaara, you remember Sasuke, ne?"

Gaara sits at one of the stools and nods slightly.

I have to say that I love the way Gaara dresses. He's wearing army print pants and a sleeveless dark green hoodie. The look is topped off with a studded bracelet on both wrists and his white scarf wrapped around his neck. He's wearing sneakers like mine, only his are red.

I try to relieve some of the tension by babbling about what I did on Saturday after I left Gaara at the clinic, but they both seem intent on each other.

I sigh and give up. Better to let them settle whatever their problem is on their own terms. Class starts and the teacher does the attendance. She talks to us about how she'd like us to learn the 'joys of cooking' and all the usual and we finally get down to our first project.

She passes out theses little folders and each has a picture of a different type of cake. There's this list of instructions that tells us where to find the different things we'll need. Apparently, we have to try and demonstrate some teamwork by making the cake specified in the folder.

Sasuke and Gaara both reach for the folder at the same time and glare at each other when their fingers touch. Trying to avoid the outbreak of the third world war, I gently take the folder and flip it open. They both peer over my shoulders at the content, Sasuke on my right and Gaara on my left.

I can't help but laugh a bit when I can, literally, feel them glaring daggers at each other over my head.

"Listen, "I say patiently, laughing slightly still, "We're a group, so we're going to work together…I never thought I'd say this but…Gaara, I'd like it better if you didn't kill Sasuke seeing as how it will make a massive mess and all the girls will be out for your blood…and Sasuke, I like Gaara, so could you not give him that look…which I can guarantee is provoking him?"

They both look at me, Gaara amused and Sasuke slightly annoyed.

I shrug, "C'mon, everyone else has already started"

Sasuke looks around and notes the fact that I'm right. He plucks the folder out of my hands and scans the page, "I'll get the bowls and whatever"

Gaara nods and we both watch as he wanders off. Gaara puts his chin on my shoulder and scans over the page and sighs before going to get some stuff we need. I prep the workstation.

The rest of the period isn't so bad since Sasuke and Gaara actually leave each other alone and all I have to worry about is not leaving them alone with each other for more then a minute at a time. While we work at it, we end up having our cake in the oven before most of the other groups.

Sighing, I sit back and survey the mess that we made while making our cake batter. Flour, eggshells, dirty spoons, leftover butter, banana peels, vanilla extract and the list goes on. I grin and glance at Sasuke and Gaara, "Guess we're done…mostly"

Sasuke smirks at me and it sort of takes the bite out of his next words, "Baka, get off your ass and get me a washrag"

I stick my tongue out at him but do as he says. Gaara tosses our dirty dishes into the dishwasher, Sasuke cleans up and I dry the counter and put away the stuff left over.

We're actually too tired to bother each other as we sit back down and pass our folder back in. The teacher congratulates us on our hard work and says that we can come back at lunch to get our cakes if we want.

I grin, I'm sure Haku and Shika would love a piece.

I put my head on my hands and close my eyes; I'm mad tired. Suddenly, the bell rings and I nearly jump out of my skin. Gaara pats me on the back sympathetically but Sasuke, the asshole, actually laughs a little.

And here I actually let myself think for a moment that he wasn't so bad when you could keep that sarcastic mouth shut. Heh…

Naruto/Lunch

I sprint down the hall, bumping into people right and left and crash into the hall doors. Pausing to swing it open, I take the steps two a time. When I get to the entrance of the cafeteria, Shikamaru is already waiting for me. He always buys Haku and I lunch since, mysteriously, he's always there before most of the teen populace.

Grinning, I pounce on him and loop my arms around his neck, "I love you"

Shika scowls and pulls me off, "Here"

I take the offered cheeseburger and salad before glancing around, "thanks…where's Haku?"

Shika shrugs, "Coming, I guess"

I nod to myself, "Kay, well, when he gets here, I need you guys to come with me to cooking class"

Haku pops out of nowhere behind me, "Why?"

I clutch at my heart in mock horror and scowl, "What is wrong with you?"

He just smiles all innocent-like, "Why're we going up there?"

I smile, "I baked a cake!"

Shika raises an eyebrow, "And you need to test it out on some poor saps to see if it's edible?"

I grin, "That would be you guys"

Haku smiles, "I like cake"

Shika shakes his head, "Not his you won't"

Haku slaps Shika lightly before turning me around and pushing me towards the door, "Lead the way then"

I pause, "Uh, hold on. I have to go get Gaara and Sasuke…"

Shika shoves his hands in his pockets, "Gaara?"

Haku gives me this weirded-out look, "Sasuke?"

I shrug, "They helped me bake it, they should both get a piece"

Shika nods, "Sounds logical to me"

Haku grins, "If Sasuke helping Naruto go anything sounds logical to you"

I smile, "Cut it out…anyway, you can go ahead, I'll get them and see you up there"

Haku shrugs and loops his arm thru Shika's.

I watch them walk off and turn back to the death trap that happens to be your school cafeteria.

Finding Sasuke is easy because he sits at the 'popular' table. Basically, it means that he's sitting at the table everyone else is sitting around.

I make my way to the center of the cafeteria and try not to loose my nerve as I finally spot Sasuke and he is indeed at the center of the lion's den, metaphorically saying.

Okay…here goes.

I walk up, tap him on the shoulder and wait. The entirety of the table stops to look at me. Sasuke pauses, probably surprised and turns around. His eyes light with instant recognition and somehow, I feel relieved. It's not that Sasuke is a stranger to me, but when he's with other people…he's nothing like the Sasuke I know.

He turns partially, "Nani, Blondie?"

A little irritated at the nickname, I pause for effect before asking him if he's coming to eat cake with us.

Sasuke gives me this look like he can't believe I asked him and right when I think that I've made a huge mistake, he nods and stands.

The other people at the table, Sakura and Ino among them, seem too stunned to protest.

Sasuke tucks a few loose strands of hair behind his ear, pulls on his jacket and smirks at me, "Let's go, Dobe"

I give him a dirty look and turn to leave. He follows.

I swear, the entire cafeteria pauses to watch us leave together. I can't blame them. Even to me, it's weird.

On our way up, I see Gaara and invite him along. Sasuke doesn't seem too annoyed by this so I take that as a sign that they're not on crap terms with each other.

The class is already full of other students who brought up their friends to eat cake so I'm not the only who had that idea.

Haku and Shikamaru are sitting at the workstation at the back of the class and are chatting amiably with each other but it's not till I get back there that I see a third person.

Neiji had been seated between Haku and the wall so I'd hadn't seen him. I can't help but grin when I see him. Miraculously, Neiji grins back.

Haku coughs none too conspicuously, "Ahem…cake?"

I shake myself out of it and nod, "Yeah, okay, hold on"

I motion for Sasuke and Gaara to sit down and wander off to the counter near the stoves and pick out our cake. I take a few paper plates and plastic forks and head back.

It sort of relieves me when I come back and Haku and Neiji are talking peaceably while Shika and Sasuke complain about my loudness and Gaara listens passively.

At least they get along…

I cut the cake and serve everyone before seating myself next to Neiji. I see Sasuke glance over at me but he looks away too fast for me to read the expression on his face.

Neiji chats with me for most of the lunch period. About five minutes before the bell rings, we all get up and decide to clean up. Sasuke and Haku put the stools back while Gaara and Shikamaru toss out plates and forks. Neiji tags along with me when I carry the leftover cake back to the fridge since he's got the knife that I need to toss into the dishwasher.

Before we head back, Neiji grabs my arm gently.

I turn to look at him and he smiles slightly, "You didn't flinch"

I grin, embarrassed, "Very funny…"

Neiji cocks his head thoughtfully before asking what I didn't expect him to, "Are you busy Wednesday?"

I stare at him, struck dumb for a minute.

Neiji intertwines our fingers, and looks at them "It's safe to say no"

I shake my head furiously, "Sorry, you…surprised me…but yes…I mean no…I'm free Wednesday"

Neiji smiles and squeezes my hand reassuringly, "Good"

The bell rings and he steps away from me, "I'll see you later"

I nod and grin fuzzily as I watch him leave. Still a bit lightheaded, I turn and head back to where the others are still waiting for me.

I'm glad that none of them seem to have seen what just happened between Neiji and I seeing as how they're all chatting. Haku and Shika say the cake was good and Gaara shrugs and tells me he's not a big fan of sweets but it was all right.

When I turn to Sasuke, I swear my blood turns to ice in my veins, the look he gives me is so cold. I hesitate to ask him what he thinks, but he saves me by saying we could've done better. He turns and leaves without another word and Shika absently comments that he's never very cuddly for long anyway.

As my other friends continue to talk, I barely hear them. All I can think about is that look. I frown slightly and wonder if he might've seen Neiji talking to me. I don't see how it would've bothered him anyway, but something told me that that was exactly it…

Naruto/Bio Class

Shojiki-: It's actually very hard to be honest about things that make you uncomfortable. Being honest is trouble sometimes. Kinda like when Rock Lee asks you if he should ask Sakura on a date and whether or not you think she'll say yes. Lee's such a nice guy that you hesitate to be honest and opt to let the guy dream a little longer by telling him to just go for it…or like when I think of Neiji and I get all hot and bothered and tell myself that I don't like him like that (or Sasuke either, for that matter) but that doesn't stop me from getting all hot and bothered anyway…

Honesty's for saints; the rest of us should just try to handle it with care…

"He's _not_ my crush!" I whisper loudly, flustered. And here I thought they hadn't notice when Neiji had talked to me.

"And I'm not all-knowing…_please_…does Shika know?" Haku never even stops writing down the observations from the lab we're doing on Plasmolysis.

I grimace, "Let me ask you a better question: Would he even _care_?"

Haku makes a disapproving sound, "Course he would; he's the one always looking after you when I can't…and don't forget that he's the one who helped you get that apartment…"He looks up long enough to give me a mildly-dirty look

"_Alright_ already, I'm just saying that Shika is about as likely to make a fuss about this as I'm likely to ever get along with Sasuke" I point out.

"Understood, but anyway, that's besides the point…" After a minute he continues, "He really isn't your crush? I mean, I would've sworn he was, what with all those picture you draw of him…"

I force down my embarrassment, "I'll _admit_ to thinking he's hot, but it ends there. I mean, the guy isn't like me…you know…and _even_ if he was, do you _really_ think he'd be into someone like _me_? And, for your information, he just happens to make a good subject for portrait pictures…"

Haku sighs heavily, "Ru, why are you always putting yourself down like that? It's not good for your health and self esteem…you can fool the world into thinking your alright no matter what they do to you, but your talking to _me_ here…be honest with yourself. Do you like him?"

I sigh, "I'd be lying if I said I didn't, even if it was just a little…"

Haku brightens up a bit, "See, that's a start…so, has there been any progress?"

I laugh, "Sort of, we sat together in math class"

I decide not to mention the fact that I'm going out with him Wednesday…Haku might get mad at me for not saying so later, but a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do…

Shika wanders back and sits down on a stool and watches us quietly.

Haku pauses and gives me an encouraging look, "That's progress…but at the pace you're going, I'll probably have to help it along a bit"

"Help what along?" Shika asks calmly

"Nothing", I say absently and lean over the microscope to take another look at the onion cell.

"Didn't I already tell you that you're a crap liar? Technically, it means you should stop since you have no talent for it" Shika smirks and snaps the elastic band around my wrist.

I flinch and rub my wrist gingerly, "That hurt!"

Shika grins, "So doe the truth"

I give Shika a dirty look, "Ha, very funny"

Shika shrugs good naturedly and Haku gives us both a warning look, "Cut it out"

Shika puts his hands up in a mildly defensive way and pulls a face. Luckily, Haku is very serious about school so we don't have the luxury of horsing around anymore after that. Which, by the way, is fine with me. Shika can be such a know it all sometimes!

Naruto/Spanish Class

Hidoi -: There are different levels of cruelty and that's a fact. There are times when your friends will play tricks on you and you'll think its cruel but that's nothing compared to the cruelty of strangers. Cruelty can be meant and when it is, it can cause you more pain then anything else that could be done to you. That's why Sasuke scares me a bit. When we were kids, he'd be cruel just to get a rise out of me. I can admit that it made me struggle against all the things that were dragging me down, made me feel more alive then I was even on good days but I also think that it cut deep wounds that I can't quite repair since they're mental and not physical. After all, using drugs might make you feel good at first but the long-term effects are crap, aren't they? That's when I think that I realized that I needed an anti-Sasuke drug.

It turned out to be drawing…

El libro neuvo…la hora antigua…une juego antiguo…el papel nuevo…

Absently, I finish the sketch of Hinata that I did on the corner of my worksheet. Next to me, Sasuke is back to being as professional crack head. I sigh and shade her hair in distractedly.

I thought that for once Sasuke was going to take a day off but I'm usually wrong about a lot of things and this was not exception. As soon as we hit Spanish class he cracks a comment about blonds. And see, I wouldn't have been so bothered if he hadn't made it a point to act like Sergeant Stick-up-the-bum. Ever since he'd seen me with Neiji at lunch, he's been acting like a prick. He must really hate Neiji…and thinking about it now, they've actually always been competing with each other since we were kids. They're both from wealthy families and seem to have the whole Perfection-complex.

Considering this, I glance at Sasuke from the corner of my eye. He's working steadily and is already mostly done. He's just slowing down because he'll have nothing to do if he finishes quick. He took off his jean jacket and hung it on the back oh his chair and has one hand pressed to the back of his neck and is using that elbow of that arm to lean over the table.

Sensing that he's going to notice my starring at any moment, I turn away quickly and breathe a sigh of relief when he looks up sharply and looks over at me. I pretend to work and I feel his eyes slowly slide away from me and back to his sheet.

This is ridiculous…he was completely harmless this morning. I suck it up and tear a piece of notebook paper out of my binder and scribble a note: 'what's your problem?"

I slide the note warily over to Sasuke and watch as he calmly picks it up and reads thru it.

He glances at me before slowly, deliberately printing something and handing it back

'Why do you care?' His writing is precise and curvy. S'cute, I guess.

I grin slightly because I so expected him to say that. I begin to sketch a quick pic of him frowning down at his worksheet and write next to it: 'Cause I've been sitting next to this for the past fifteen minutes and it's starting to really creep me out'

I hand it back and wait for him to pick it up. I wait almost ten minutes before he finally sighs and picks it up. He scans over it quickly and looks over at me, slightly surprised.

He smoothes the note down and writes: 'you draw?"

I blink and pull the note back to reply: 'Sort of…'

Sasuke smiles slightly: 'I don't look like that, but you're pretty good'

I smirk: 'either I'm dreaming or did you just compliment me?"

Sasuke smirks: 'you're dreaming'

I grin: 'you never explained what you're problem was'

Sasuke scowls slightly: 'you'

I roll my eyes: 'Yeah, okay, I knew that. But why are you acting like an ass when we were fine in cooking class? What changed that made you act up?'

Sasuke doesn't reply and takes the note from me and crumples it up. I watch, mildly irritated, as he takes a shot at the trash bin and it goes in.

"You really are a prick, you know that?" I mumble to him

Sasuke shrugs, "You're the one who talked to me…"

I huff and turn back to my worksheet. I should've known better then to try and rationalize or make peace with Sasuke…resigning myself; I get back to my Spanish.

Since the teacher figured that we seemed to be having so much fun with our worksheets, she assigns us our first project. Something about choosing to write a pretend newspaper article on a past historical event…mostly in Spanish.

I groan as I look over the sheet she hands out. Sasuke raises an eyebrow curiously and turns to me, "We should get this done before the weekend…can you come over on Wednesday?"

I freeze in my seat. Sasuke is asking me to come over to his place? I know that we have this project but wouldn't a library be more sensible…and safe? And, who said that he'd be allowed to decide that by himself? I'm meeting Neiji Wednesday!

I grin and try to get out of it, "I have plans Wednesday"

Sasuke gives me a look that says he thinks I'm lying but all he says is, "Come after"

I bite my lip, "Can't"

Sasuke doesn't even bat an eye, "Before then"

I grin wryly, "You really want to get this done, don't you?"

Sasuke shrugs, "What's the occasion…as far as I know, you don't have plans?

I smiles sweetly, "Your so charming…and for your information, Mr. I'm-a-professional-prick with a capital P, I have a date"

Oops…so not the thing I should've said.

Sasuke scowls a bit and shrugs, "What do I care…anyway, come tomorrow then"

I sigh, defeated, "Yeah, alright, keep your hair on"

Sasuke gives me a look that tells me that if I open my mouth and say anything more, he may just hit me. I sigh again and turn back to my worksheet.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is my first, real day of the second semester.

Ebra: okay, well that's done. I know there hasn't been any real relationship stuff going on, but I promise that the next chapter will be mostly Naru X Neiji. In the mean time, please tell me what you think.


	4. Somnabulist

Disclaimer: I don't own anything…cept the fic.

Warning(s): Weirdness probably…

Pairing(s): Various

Ebra: Massive thanks for the reviews. Very encouraging.

Read and enjoy! Sorry it took a more then a week to post.

'Purple Cocaine Prison'

Naruto: Somnambulist

'Somnambulist': a sleepwalker; to somnambulate: to walk or perform other motor acts while asleep, one who is subject to somnambulism: one who walks while sleeping

Naruto/Physics

Gaara and I sit, shockingly, at the front of the class a bit on the left side where all the windows are. Luckily, the class isn't massive so we can sit only with each other.

Gaara is hiding in a massive black sweater and his white scarf.

During attendance, I prod him, "Can you breath in there?"

Gaara turns his green eyes on me and I tell that he thinks I'm not funny.

Grinning, I prod him some more; "You've probably got space for me in there"

Gaara smirks and still doesn't answer.

I smile and got back to doodling. Gaara's not exactly much of a talker but he's good company…in a kind of silent way.

I hate physics, though. The teacher is the most boring person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and he can't seem to teach jack. Not because he's not **teaching** but more because he's dull and can't catch my attention.

Gaara seems to be more interested in the subject then me, but that's understandable.

Sighing, I frown at my textbook. We're **discussing** something about gravity, but the man just keeps babbling!

Smiling slightly to myself, I pillow my head on Gaara's shoulder and decide to get some shuteye. S'not like the teacher'll notice anyway, right?

Naruto/Gym

Love-: Okay, here's my personal opinion on love. Brace yourselves…

Love isn't realistic. You see it in movies, read about it in books, and see it whatsit-ever else but it's always really sappy and always involves stupidity of some sort. Your heart can't actually tell you you're in love, right? Even so, 'love' could probably be more properly characterized as being an attraction to another person's looks or personality. I mean, plenty of people have relationships based on as little as good looks but I don't think I could stand for a guy who'd rather brush his hair all day instead of going out with me. He's gotta have wit and sense, but anyway, moving on.

Love isn't concrete or simple; it's a pain- even without all the mystery and running around they have in movies. It's just really hard to identify sometimes. Therefore, I think that the definition of love should be more like: the attraction to another person's qualities or attributes, thinking you attracted/interested. Keyword being: thinking, which is mostly because your brain makes all the decisions that govern your life. Your heart is an organ that pumps blood thru your body. So basically, if I'm going somewhere with this, I should end up thinking that love is more like a mode of thinking then an actual emotion.

But after saying all that, I still wouldn't be able to explain all those weird tingles you get when someone you like touches you or why you get a little nervous when talking to that person or why you think of them instead of doing your physics homework. Isn't that the part of love that can't be explained? I couldn't tell you why one look from Neiji makes my heart beat a bit faster or why I feel sad when Sasuke seems to be mad at me…

So, anyway, it's important to look at the big picture all the time since love can be one of those double-edged sword kinds of things. If you get caught…well there's nothing you can do really. Knowing this, I'm still letting Neiji get closer t me then I've let anyone in a long time. Haku and Shika don't count cause their more like big brothers anyway…The point of this mental conversation with myself though is to decide whether or not I think I more then like Neiji.

To tell the truth…I'd rather not think too much about it. I have a habit of jinxing stuff…we'll see what happens.

I hate volleyball with a passion. Being short hasn't been so much of a problem for me until I discovered volleyball. It was when I first played volleyball that I realized that it was harder then it looked. I was pretty good, I guess, but I couldn't serve Overhand as well as other guys and Spiking the ball was more of a hazard to me then a way of keeping the ball off my side of the court.

That having been said, other people, like Neiji and Sasuke, are tall enough to serve overhand. Sitting over here with Gaara while half the class practices serves makes me wish more and more that there was more space in Gaara's sweatshirt sweater thing so that I could crawl in and hide till the period was over. I'm not a coward, but there's only so much teasing I can be subjugated to while playing a sport. Besides, it's really easy to insult a guy at sports because they can poke fun at your sore spots…mine being the fact that I'm vertically challenged.

Kakashi-Sensei decided that we were probably rusty and should practice a bit before attempting a game. Unluckily, Neiji and Sasuke seemed to be peeved at each other and were exercising their right to show off in an attempt to make one look worse then the other. Unfortunately, they both, simultaneously, managed to get everyone else hyped and trying their best. Plus, it didn't even look, even to me, that one was better then the other.

Mostly, I was worried about what the heck was wrong with them in the first place. I remember seeing them talking to each other in the change room but I was pretty sure that it wasn't a cause for alarm. Ironically, I'm always wrong about stuff like that. Apparently, they'd started a war and I'm the only one who'd noticed a bit late.

Next to me Gaara shifts and sighs. He sounds the way I feel.

I turn and grin at him, "What? You hate volleyball too?"

Shika plops down next to him out of nowhere and yawns, "No, he's just thinking that it looks about as troublesome as it sounds…"

I shake my head, amused, "Everything is troublesome to you…and I'm pretty sure your not Gaara"

Shika smirks, shuts his eyes and leans over to use the wall behind us as a support, "Just because he's not the one who said it doesn't mean he's not thinking it"

Gaara smirks and I laugh, "Cute, you're a mind reader now?"

Shika grins but doesn't answer.

Turning back to watch Sasuke and Neiji murder a few more balls, I start to get nervous. In less then five minutes, it'll be the rest of the class' turn to go up and practice. Technically, that means both Neiji and Sasuke will be watching me. And I can't do overhand serves…at all. Swallowing down my nervousness, I consider the fact that I can't do any worse then some of the other guys. Being short never stopped me from being good at basketball and height is actually important in that game, so why should I stress out over volleyball?

Predictably, Kakashi-Sensei forgets the five-minute switch and only calls the rest of us up ten minutes later then planned. I haven't loosened up anymore then since I last promised myself not to worry. When he does blow the whistle, I start a bit and stand.

Neiji and Sasuke walk off court slowly; mostly still giving each other irritated looks. I gulp inaudibly and try to tell myself that it's been a while since I attempted anything related to volleyball and maybe it wouldn't be as bad as I think it's gonna be.

Haku and Shika stand on either side of me. Gaara next to Shika and Kiba on Haku's other side. Beyond them, I don't allow my focus any farther. I palm my volleyball nonchalantly, seeming to play with it but actually thinking that it's probably the greatest tool of utter evil known to the short teenager. Grinning a bit at my stupidity, I drop my ball and absorb the shock with my foot. I'm not bad at soccer either now that I think about it.

Funnily enough, I feel myself relax a bit. Kakashi-Sensei distractedly blows the whistle; head still half buried in his book and most of the guys around me, toss up their balls and serve. Pausing, and still holding my ball, I watch the others. Haku just seems to reach up lightly and whap the ball, but it goes sailing over the net. Shika tosses it up lazily and reaches up to brush it with his knuckles almost and it also goes over the net smoothly.

Too busy watching my friends' techniques, I don't notice when Sensei walks up behind me.

I freeze when a shadow falls over me and I glance up slowly into Sensei's only visible, smiling eye.

"Naruto, since I'm sure you have such a great serve you don't seem to be taking the time to practice…bored?"

I grin and shake my head, "Uh, sorry, I was a bit distracted"

Sensei nods, "So show me your serve"

I swear that I must have frozen on the spot. Worse, everyone has stopped to watch. Sensei nods towards me, encouraging like, and I turn around slowly. Panic grips me because I know that I'll never serve properly with all these people watching me. All that's left now is to make an ass out of myself.

Reluctant to delay the inevitable, I toss the ball and reach to hit it. I know that I didn't put that much effort into it but it was kind of cruel of whoever up there was watching to make sail straight into the net.

The gym is silent except for a few snickers. I sigh and hang my head.

I knew this was going to happen. I shut out Kakashi-Sensei's voice telling the others not to tease and try very hard to stay calm.

Presently, a white volleyball is placed in my hands. Glancing up, I come face to face with Neiji. His silver eyes are sorry that I feel bad about being a crap player and somehow that makes it all better. I grin at him and he grins back.

Turning to face the court he absently rolls his own ball in his hands, "You should jump for it. Don't wait for it to come down to you"

I take me a minute to see what he means. Nodding to him, I look down at the ball in my hands and shrug. It's worth a try right? Besides, Neiji doesn't give bad advice.

I hold the ball in my right hand, carefully toss it up, step forwards and jump lightly to meet it on its way down. My upper wrist connects balls surface and I watch, amazed as it practically cannonballs into the court across from us.

No way…

Neiji smirks and turns back to me, "You could've done better"

Naruto/Lunch

Now, as much as I'd love to eat right now, I'm still getting over the gym incident. Even though Neiji had taught me how to serve overhand, I'd still gotten demolished when we played an actual practice game. I could hardly help my team at all. To say I was massively depressed would have been the understatement of the century.

So, what's my solution?

Privacy.

I need privacy…or at least a bit of time to myself.

With that in mind, I head up to the library. It's on the third floor of the red building and easily accessible from the other floors. I like the red building because it's quieter. The place is big and tranquil and most people would never think of looking for **me** there since I was a notorious noisemaker who 'couldn't be quiet' to save his life anyway. Shows what people know…humph.

Walking in, I take note of the librarian and the few students using the computers to go on MSN or do research for projects. Thankfully, none of them are people I know. Settling in the back where I'm sure no one sits anyway, I pull out this massive book, Blackwood Farm by Anne Rice, and sit down to get some reading done.

I swear I must have been alone no more then five minutes when someone wanders in one me. I would've been peeved if it had been anyone other then the person smiling slightly at me now.

"Hi Neiji" I can't help but sound a bit disconsolate but I'm hoping the smile I use to cover it up deters his attention from my crap mood because in all honesty, I really am glad to see him.

Neiji cocks his head thoughtfully, "Hi"

I'm not worried about anyone finding us back here because the library is big enough for there to be some secluded places. Sitting up and setting my book aside on a nearby table, I motion for him to come over, "How'd you find me?"

Neiji smirks, "Followed you"

"Very nice, Sherlock Holmes", I say, grinning.

Neiji shrugs and sits the chair across from mine, "You alright?"

The concern in his voice makes me smile, "Yeah, m'alright"

He eyes me curiously and glances at the book I put aside. Seeing his eyes move, I glance at the book too.

I reach out and trace the picture of the cameo on the front, "S'bout vampires"

Neiji nods, "Your friends are looking for you"

I shrug, "They can live without my lively presence for a while…besides, I need some peace"

Neiji carefully picks up my book and leafs thru it, "Hn…"

Leaning back in my chair and putting my feet up on the table, I watch Neiji, "D'you read?"

Neiji shrugs slightly, eyes scanning the lines on the first page, "If the book is interesting"

It surprises me how fast he reads before flipping to the second page, "What makes a book interesting?"

Neiji never even looks up, "Words"

"Words?"

Neiji flips another page smoothly, "If the writer uses the right words, you understand better and then you keep reading because you like the way the story is being told"

I frown and scratch the back of my head thoughtfully, "What about talent?"

Neiji shrugs, "If you understand words and the ways to use them, that in itself is a talent"

I grin, "What if you're a crap writer?"

Neiji glances up, amused, before his eyes drop back onto the page, "Everyone has a talent…ways of communicating are not limited to words"

Rolling the idea over several times in my head, I ask him another question, "What's your talent?"

Neiji shrugs, "It is usually the ability of all others to see the talent you posses since, more often then not, you can't see it for yourself…what do you suppose my talent it?"

I pauses, asking myself the question, "You have good eyes"

Neiji glances up sharply, "Yours are better"

I muse over that, "You said that before"

Neiji shrugs and flips another page, "It's true"

I grin, "Yes, but what does it mean?"

Neiji smirks "I'm not going to tell you if you can't see it for yourself"

Fuming, I sit back and keep my comments to myself. We sit in a comfortable silence for a few minutes and I am calmed by the quiet that is only broken when Neiji flips another page. Neiji oblivious to me at this point starts lightly when I reach over and poke his knee. To do that, though, I have to lean halfway out of my seat while taking into account the fact that my legs are up on the table instead of down on the floor where they can stop me from falling out of said chair. Of course, I don't take that fact into consideration and start to tip over as soon as I have Neiji's attention.

Standing, Neiji grabs me and pushes me upright again. Grinning up at him, my hands half twisted in is shirt and on the verge of laughing, I realize something: I really like this guy.

Neiji sighs, not so much out of annoyance as from relief, "You have a bad habit of doing that"

I shrug and loosen my grip on his shirt only slightly, "Why worry if you're always around?"

Neiji makes a disapproving sound, "But I'm not"

I shake my head and give in to the urge I have to laugh.

Putting one hand on either side of me, one on each armrest and effectively trapping me in the chair, Neiji leans down a bit, "I fail to see what's funny"

Grinning, I calm down long enough to answer him, "Nothing…nothing's funny"

He tilts his head, and eyes me curiously. Presently, he leans over, almost nose-to-nose with me.

Surprised and wide eyed, I gulp, "What are you doing?"

This is the kind of scene you get in the movies. You know the ones? Something big is about to happen and everyone of holding their breath and waiting. Except that this is real life, and there's no other people here, cept for Neiji. And as for knowing what's going to happen…it wasn't a total mystery to begin with. I've read enough books and seen enough movies, haven't I?

The problem is though that there's a difference between anticipating the outcome and discovering the outcome. Things never quite go the way you want them to.

Unpredictably, Neiji answers, "I'm going to kiss you"

I think that the confirmation of the truth actually shocks me. Before I think much more about it, he leans over me, his hair sliding softly against my cheeks as he presses lips to mine.

Its nice, this kiss, but it's chaste; mouths closed and just resting against each other. The amazing thing is how it all seems so easy, natural even. There's zero discomfort on my part.

Neiji pulls away a bit and stares at me.

Up close, I can see the thick ring of silver that makes up most of his irises. I can remember clearly why I love these eyes. Right now, they happen to be crinkled up at the corners, smiling at me the way I know I must be smiling back.

Neiji blinks once and leans into me again. The second time is way better then the first. With a confidence that doesn't surprise me, Neiji parts my lips with his tongue. His hand comes up behind my head to steady me as much as keep me in place. I've never frenched before and I can tell you its weird the first time. Not really the tongue part, because I've got my own tongue and it's in my mouth all day, but more the foreign-object-in-your-mouth feel of it.

Foreign for only a little while though. Somehow, the strangeness of it dissipates and I feel myself reacting. Almost like some one who knows what they're doing, I kiss back. Neiji traces the inside of my mouth, and I do the same. Our tongues touch hesitantly and slide along each after only a moment's hesitation.

It's nice, this.

When we part a second time, Neiji is kneeling in front of me. How he got down there? Who knows and who cares. I'm a bit breathless and Neiji seems to think that it's funny if the way he's smirking, perfectly not short of breath himself, is any indication.

Grinning breathlessly, I loop my arms around his neck, and tell him fuzzily "Thawasnice"

Neiji smiles, "Good"

And suddenly, I swear my heart's full to bursting. Isn't it weird? The guy I really like, likes me back. I feel like I should say something, anything, but it's not necessary because Neiji is kissing along my jaw, butterfly kisses tickling along my skin. There aren't any words. I want there to be, but maybe they would be better for later. Neiji seems set on doing what he's doing and it's not like I'm not enjoying myself.

Hands rub my back gently in such a way as to make me arch into them. Vaguely, I have the creeping suspicion that Neiji's done this before. How else would he know what to do? As he continues to rub though, I can't be bothered to care anymore.

My hearts beating away in my chest, bouncing away against my rib cage, and I'm closest to being the happiest I've ever been.

There's something amazing about those hands, and those feather light kisses that tell me simply by touch that this isn't a dream and that Neiji actually cares for me. Something in the way he whispers my name to get my attention and rubs the back of my neck to get me to relax that makes me think this is right. It's something about Neiji himself that makes me at ease. Might not sound like much, but I swear it's more important then anything else.

On some level, I'm aware of the all the embarrassing little sounds I'm making, but for my own sake, I ignore them. Neiji nips at my throat and wraps his arms around my relatively small waist and pulls me closer. Seeking to brace myself, I place my hands on his shoulders. In an instant, the momentum takes us both backwards.

Neiji lands on his back with a light thump and has me sitting on his stomach. He doesn't seem bothered even. I admire the way his hair fans out, a few dark brown strands still curled around my fingers. One of my hands is on Neiji's chest, pressed over his heart. The other helps me keep my balance and is pressed firmly against the floor.

I feel the beating if his heart as distinctly as if it were my own. The steady pulse and rise and fall made me realize just how real this all was.

Neiji's looking up at me, smiling because I bet he already knows what I'm thinking and twines our free hands together. He places his other hands over mine and leaves them there.

I'm happy; I know that, but I'm not good at not asking stupid questions and since I figure that Neiji won't mind (knowing me), I ask what's been bothering me since this whole library adventure started, "How did you even know?"

Neiji blinks, looking adorably confused, "Well, for one, I've always seen you watching me. Your there when I go to class, when I hang around my looker. Back in Junior high, you used to sit in the back of the art room and sketch a lot, but you'd watch me then too.

And even though you have the most distinct face and hair and beautiful eyes, you never had a girlfriend, or anything close to one. In fact, you had a crush on Sakura when we were younger and I can remember thinking how unusual that really was considering that she's a certified Sasuke-o-sexual. People like her only have eyes and hearts for him. They worship **what** he is and don't stop to even consider what he's really all about. They love the idea of being Uchiha Sasuke's girlfriend but don't even consider his feelings. Basically, you had a doomed, never-to-be-returned crush.

Besides all that, I started to notice you more because you were around so often. I started to realize little things. Like how I'd never really spoken to you, or you to me. How we seemed to like a lot of the same things and would see each other at a lot of places outside of school, but it didn't occur to me to talk to you until recently. Eventually, I realized that I liked you and that your attentions had made me aware of that. I don't suppose that it would have made a difference whether you had been a boy or a girl…I was attracted to your personality before anything else. The fact that you're a blond and have amazing blue eyes is secondary, mostly"

I blink and smile shakily, a bit flushed at his attempt at humor.

Neiji sighs and sits, me falling back into his lap, "Class is going to start soon. We should go"

I nod and squeeze his hands thoughtfully, "We still on for Wednesday?"

Neiji smirks, "After that I would expect the answer to be obvious"

Laughing, I grin and tuck his slightly larger hand into mine before dragging him off to the exit. See, **this** feeling is what love is made of…

Naruto/Chemistry

Savoir-Faire-: tact, readiness, knowing how to act.

This is the only class where I have both Neiji and Sasuke. That by itself is a horrifying reality. They don't really get along but it's more of a rival kind of thing. Both of them are smart and good looking but it pretty much ends there. Also, I can guarantee that having to deal with them being in the same room right after chilling out makes every hair on your body stand up. Half the time your expecting thunder to strike!

For one, Sasuke and Neiji have massively different senses of humor. Sasuke has a tendency to be kind of mocking whereas Neiji acts like a know it all. Sasuke will act like a jerk when he's pissed and Neiji just kind of looks annoyed and ignores you. They're both from weird families and require a bit of 'savoir-faire' to deal with. Sasuke because he's cheeky and Neiji because he's kind of hard to second guess.

Basically, you have to come into class while keeping mind that both of those two, their explosively different moods and ways of thinking, will be present. Technically, they make for an un-safe learning environment.

Chemistry isn't a bad subject but it requires a certain amount of your attention when it's being taught. The problem with **that** is that I'm too busy watching Neiji and Sasuke try to out-scowl each other. It's entertaining but just this side of scary too.

Sitting across from Sasuke and next to Neiji affords me a great view of the scowling but also makes me realize that as amusing as it is, there is no way I'm going to survive sitting here if they don't cut it out. Basically, I need to find a way to make it stop. I can't help but laugh a bit when I also realize that saying that is equivalent to saying that I'm going to diffuse an atomic bomb. It's an easy thing to say…not do.

Sitting back…I sigh and nudge Neiji into helping me do some Chem. This works for about five minutes. Sighing, I know that I'm too tired to do anymore. Sitting back slightly, I glance around the classroom and remember the words I heard in a song before: 'There's no such thing as the real world...just a lie you've got to rise above'.

Struck by the fact that these two aren't going to give it a break, I quietly pull out my sketchbook and start to draw them.

Sasuke, all dark hair and dark eyes, set mouth and slight frown.

Neiji is long dark brown hair, clear, almost flashing eyes, pursed mouth and slightly knit brow.

They both manage to look equally irritated while having different expressions. I shade both their hair and am so absorbed in what I'm doing that when they finally **do** stop trying to out do each other, I don't even notice. Signing my name absently in the corner, I glance up and come face to face with two equally curious looks.

Grinning, I tuck my sketchbook away and try not to laugh at their expressions too much, especially since I don't fancy the idea of scowling at me.

Naruto/English

Weltschmerz-: sorrow or sadness resulting from a cynical view of the world.

I'm pretty sure I must have mentioned before how my English teacher thinks I make about as much sense as a Martian when I write anything. Writing, like anything else, is a form of expression that people can read and chose whether to enjoy or dislike. That's the point of free-expression right? Why is it then, that no matter what I write, she can't be happy with it?

To a vampire, a club is a maelstrom of sound and movement. Colors are magnified, sounds echo…things aren't quite the same when you already know every taste and hear every heartbeat. No matter how much older I grow, life still slowly looses its appeal. I was warned, I can remember, of the reality that eventually living eternally would lose its essential appeal and I would be left to realize that I am a creature left alone, unique and one of a kind, in a world where change is the way things progress and that groups were where one went or sought to fit in to find a sense of normalcy to call their own.

I however, belonged nowhere and was an outcast to all.

Tonight, I am no more expectant than necessary. I've been searching for another to make like myself; a companion that I would have, literally, forever. This place was the same as any other. It had people, the things I now feed on regularly and it had their things: alcohol, dance, and provided their own mortal dose of dark.

Standing just inside the doorway, I peer in and allow them to see me the way I see them. To the eyes of those who notice me, I am tall, blond and blue eyed, with a face and body that seem ageless, more so because they truly are. To them, I look like a model. I fit into their idea of beauty and it pleases me to know this. It makes what I am here to do that much easier.

I descend the steps slowly, pausing to take in the atmosphere and trying to decide if I'd rather make a scene on the dance floor or quietly scan the crowd for myself by taking a seat at the bar. Simply put, I'm trying to decide if I'd rather hunt or be the hunted.

The latter seems more appealing since I am new to both this city and to this scene. Even I need time to make myself familiar to things I have yet to understand.

I stride confidently to the bar and seat myself with my back to the floor and smile languidly, knowingly, when I feel the many pairs of eyes from all over the room watching me. Attracting attention is the easy part, filtering out those that have potential from those that do not is the hard part.

Before I start to scan he crowd a second time, a young man sitting nearby catches my attention.

He's dark haired and pale skinned. It's been a long time since I noticed a beauty that could rival my unnatural kind.

Approaching him, I offer a smile, "You look troubled"

The young man, older then I am, I can tell, glances up and smiles wryly, "I have questions…and I'm still looking for answers"

I smile wider, seating myself at his side casually when I can feel as much as tell from his body language his immediate interest in me, "I haven't got answers to your questions"

For a time, I watch him watch me.

Calmly, he looks away, "What kind of questions do you have answers to then?"

I stir his drink with a finger, a bailey on the rocks, and smile though he can't see me, "Anything else you can think to ask"

He pauses and his mouth quirks at the side slightly, "Let me get this straight: I can ask you anything besides what I really want to ask, and you can answer?"

Smiling indulgently, I tap the end of his nose, "Exactly"

He suddenly looks indecisive. All the classic signs I have come to recognize as human nervousness are present. I can see it in the way he frowns, his mouth half parted in question and his mentally indrawn thoughts. Knowing this and seeing the doubt, I still pause and wait. If this is the person I've been waiting for since my rebirth then he would not disappoint me. I wasn't about to influence his thoughts either; telepathy is a gift not a tool for manipulation.

Besides, to attempt to reassure him would only confuse him further. I needed him to come to me.

I stand abruptly, my half-mate and master calling faintly to me thru our telepathic bond. I smile at him apologetically, "I have got to get going, Sasuke, but I'm sure you'll find me when you decide"

Sasuke doesn't look surprised; more amused then anything. I think he understands the game well enough…I wink at him and make my way of the club.

All others are ignored now; I found what I wanted.

Outside, the shocking cold does nothing to my tan skin. Even in a light pair of loose pants and wearing a blue button down shirt to match my eyes, the wind only slides over me. More like a chilly caress then a biting gust. The source of my need to leave Sasuke is leaning on the wall of another of these nightclubs. Dressed in silver to match his eyes, Neiji makes his presence known.

The few mortals in the street are drawn in by the smile in his eyes and his fluidity. Grinning, I wait for him. Walking across to me, he loops his arm loosely and mine and glances at me, "Why must you play these games with them?"

I laugh, the entirety of my being at ease with this man, "For fun…it does them no harm"

Neiji smirks, "You like that one"

I snuggle closer to him and his jacket, content to not answer seriously and play at being cold, "Maybe I do…maybe I don't"

Neiji doesn't answer. He knows me well enough to know all the answers to my questions anyway 

Haku starts laughing at the look on my face and snatches back the papers before I can rip them to shreds. Honestly, I am trying to write a Haiku for English and this one is busily writing crap. Another thing, it wouldn't even bother me so much if he didn't write using real people. I mean, **anyone** could be reading that stuff on the net!

I probably neglected to mention this, but Haku likes to write stuff on the Internet. On the net, he goes by the alias 'White-Rose' and writes all kinds of smutty stuff. He's been at it since back when we were in grade nine. And believe me, the stuff he writes even gives me nosebleeds. I even once accused him that they were pornographic in nature.

Shika, ever the 'avocatus diaboli' (a.k.a. a critic that picks flaws to provoke argument) argued that if Haku had done such things in real life then I was not only accusing his writing, but I was also accusing his relations with his boyfriend as being 'pornographic in nature'. Therefore, I'm the one who should grow up and discover the real difference between smut and real life, or so Shika says.

Does anyone else have friends who actively practice being pains in the ass?

That being 100 beside the point, I still had to write a Haiku. Everyone else seems to be finished except for me. How come a guy who draws like I do can't write three lines of poetry worth cotton? Haku writes like it's actually an **easy **thing to do!

Absently, I scratch my head and decide that there has to be a less painful way of getting this done. Shikamaru seems equally annoyed but talking to him when he's got **that** look on his face royally spells trouble.

Neiji also seems finished but I think he handed his in anyway, so no help there.

In the end, I don't write a Haiku. If I had, it just would've been another thing for my English teacher to complain about. As it was, I was doing her a favor. 

Naruto/After School

Aequo animo-: with even mind/calmly, being levelheaded, basically. A funny thing about being even-minded is that it's actually very hard. Take Sasuke for example. The guy is a rock. A cute rock, but still a rock, personality wise. There's emotion buried in there somewhere but I haven't got the energy, time or access to a nuclear energy power plant. About the plant? Well, those things are supposed to generate enough heat, ergo, it could melt the ice around Sasuke's heart and possibly bring some life into that stoic guy…if the thing hasn't already stopped beating. Someone like me doesn't stand a chance in hell of staying cool when faced with Sasuke. He just pisses the crap out me and sits back to watch me systematically drive myself up the wall with frustration and general pissy-ness. I can't stay level headed because that would mean not getting emotional and I don't think that's entirely possible for someone like me.

Therefore, sitting in a car with Sasuke is really a nerve racking experience. He doesn't talk and he does everything with a quiet precision that makes me tense up and not want to disturb the silence. He seems to be in a better mood then this morning but I don't hazard any conversation. Trying to quietly shift, I try to cross my legs but freeze when the leather creaks.

Sasuke glances over at me sideways, "Can't you still for more then a minute?"

I was going to retort cheekily but when I look at him, he's already turned his eyes back to the road and has a slight smile on his face.

I turn to stare out the window… Sasuke was teasing?

Somehow, I can't seem to wrap my mind around the concept. Sasuke can be funny, but it's always the sarcastic kind and he can be nice, but it's usually with strings attached. In a mouthful, Sasuke is a lot of things but a tease isn't normally one of them. I don't get it and I don't think that frowning at my reflection in the window is going to help.

Shifting again and ignoring the irritating way the leather creaks again, I decide that I can't take another minute of quiet, "Where's your place anyway?"

Next to me, Sasuke answers absently, "It's not far, just sit tight"

I sigh exaggeratedly and wait for something else to cross my mind. I finger my book bag strap absently, "Do your parents know your having me over?"

Sasuke's mood goes from safely contained and chilled out to tense and ready to snap. Observing this not-so-subtle change, I can tell that I said something that I shouldn't have. Sasuke suddenly relaxes and only starts to drive a little faster. Now, you'd think that him not exploding would be safer, right? Not! The guy rounds corners like an Indy500 racer. I can remember having been lectured about the importance of safe driving, probably by Haku, and I swear that sudden 90 degree turns aren't safe or allowed.

Thankfully, the race is over as fast as it started and Sasuke pulls into the underground garage of this massive, expensive looking high-rise apartment building. I also note the fact that we're in downtown Boston and nowhere **near** my place. I don't know what bus to take back and there is no way that I'm letting Speed-Demon Sasuke drive me back.

Sighing, I climb out of the car and Sasuke leads me to the elevator, which by the way, is nicer then any elevator I've been in. Overdone for sure, but nice. We stay in the elevator almost three or four minutes, which I counted in my head, before the elevator stops on the 50th floor a.k.a. the top. Sasuke walks out into the hall and pauses to wait for me. I hesitate to follow but I can't explain why.

Sasuke seems a bit nervous. Not obviously but he keeps waiting for me to catch up to him and looks me right in the eyes before resuming our trek down the forty foot hallway. By the time he's done it for the third time, I can't help but try and smile reassuringly for him. I can't imagine what's making him act all unsure but I'm not going to add to it by openly showing him how nervous I happen to be.

The large oak door that we stop in front of looks more like the door into a castle then to an apartment. The heavy wood shines the color of dark honey in the special lighting of the hallway. Sasuke pauses to punch the numbers to the security pad next to the door and it pops open. We both kind of stand there before Sasuke seems to make his mind up about something and pushes the door open confidently, "Aniki, I'm home"

Aniki?

The dying rays of sun light up the inside of the apartment and the walls glow bright orange. The tiles at the front door are alternately jade green and black. It also looks like they are marble. Stepping over them cautiously, I pull off my sneakers and place them next to Sasuke's.

The prince of darkness takes my jacket and hangs it up with his before walking down the hall, "C'mon"

I watch his retreating back for a minute before quickly catching up. We walk thru a spacious living room where two of its four walls are entirely glass windows. The furniture is really old fashioned and almost antique. A red carpet and black and white photos top off the look.

We keep walking and Sasuke turns into another corridor. This one is painted light yellow and reflects the rays of the sun nicely. I glance off to my right and am a bit shocked when I finally get a look at the view. You can see clear down to the street bellow!

I gulp and take a hold of Sasuke's shirttail. If he noticed, he didn't let me know. We walk into a spacious kitchen the color of gingerbread cookies. The first thing I notice is that everything is in black. The fridge, toaster, everything! The only thing that is out of the ordinary is a wall clock that looks like an oversized English pocket watch hanging above the fridge.

It takes a minute to notice that Sasuke isn't moving anymore. Gingerly, I let go of his shirt and peer around him at the person I hadn't previously noticed sitting at the island-like table in the center of the kitchen.

Uchiha Itachi isn't a very photogenic guy and there are few pictures of him anywhere. I don't think that there is a photographer that would have been able to take his picture and really capture what he looked like, I realized, looking at him now.

He looks vaguely like Sasuke, in an older way, and has a set of dazzling deep-red eyes. His hair is also way longer. Presently, he's leaning on the counter top and watching us. His nails are painted a dark mauve and he's slowly swirling the contents of a black mug with the right hand. He's wearing a red top that is so long, it almost reaches his knees with a studded belt overtop but I tell he's wearing black capris underneath too. He slowly slides off the stool with a fluidity more like that of a panther's then a man's and walks towards us slowly, his bare feet not even making the barest hint of sound on the ceramic tiles.

Sasuke pulls me more to the front and Itachi comes to stop in front of me. His eyes slide over my face with an inquisitiveness that makes my skin prickle a bit.

Not enjoying the silence, I smile as much as I can without looking uneasy, "Uh…nice to meet you. I'm Uzumaki Naruto"

Itachi cocks his head to one side and continues to study my face, "Uchiha Itachi. Are you a friend or an acquaintance of my little brother's?"

Sasuke interrupts, "A friend"

Itachi looks a bit unconvinced but he only laughs lightly, the sound rippling over everything in the room, "Since when do you bother with friends, little brother?"

Sasuke shrugs off the comment and takes the mug out of Itachi's hands. He wanders a bit away from us and sips at the contents of the mug before making a grimace, "It's cold, Aniki. It's called hot chocolate for a reason"

Itachi's eyes are still on me, but he replies Sasuke half-mockingly, "It got cold…and it wasn't yours to drink in the first place"

Sasuke snorts softly and dumps the chocolate milk in the sink before turning back to me, "Naruto, go down the hall and go into the room at the end on the left. I have to talk to my brother"

Nodding, a bit numb under Itachi's curiously mesmerizing gaze, I nod again before heading down the indicated hallway.

Now that I'm on my own, I relax a bit. And here I was thinking that Sasuke was the only human Ice creature alive! I've read newspaper articles, magazine critiques and seen Itachi's art, but talking about the guy isn't the same as meeting him! I never would've though that he was that good looking either. I know Sasuke's real easy on the eyes, but still!

Shaking my head to try and shake out the fog induced by starring into Itachi's eyes too long, I wander slowly down the hall to the last room. The doors around here are all the same as the front door and look imposing in a totally see-don't-touch way that makes me hesitate to go in. I'm pretty sure that this is Sasuke's room but I just can't find an excuse to go in. Anyway, I can't wait for Sasuke even if I wanted to; he's the one who said to wait in there. Sighing a bit, I put my hand on the smooth gold colored doorknob and push the heavy door open. It's dark inside and I fumble a bit for the light switch.

If I though that Sasuke's place was extravagant before then I didn't know what to think of it now. His bed is about four times bigger then mine and is pilled on with what looks to be at least seven or eight dark blue pillows. The sheets are also dark blue but the massive comforter rolled up at the base of the bed is snow white and probably the lightest thing in the room. There are five ceiling high windows, all shutting out the evening sunlight with dark blue velvet curtains. The carpet is black and the walk in closet is painted a shocking bright red. There's a mirror hanging across the wall from the bed and it's also ceiling high.

Curious, I step into the room itself and the heavy door shuts silently behind me. Shrugging off my backpack, I look around for a decent place to put it down. I feel like I shouldn't be able to touch anything. It was making me more and more nervous because I've never been in a place like this. What the hell was I doing here anyway? It's not like Sasuke would've really needed my help for real. He's perfectly smart enough to have done it on his own and said I'd helped and besides, I can remember times we've had to work together in the past and that's exactly what we did then.

When I decide to turn around and go look for Sasuke again, he walks right in on me. He looks relieved and not the least bit suspicious of the deer-in-headlights look I'm sure I must be giving him, "C'mon, we're going to use my brother's computer"

Are you freaking serious? I just un-fogged my brain and you want me to go back there and get all nervous and tongue-tied again? Are you freakin' insane? But of course, I didn't say that since my seemingly acquiescent "Sure" doesn't quite communicate my true feelings.

Sasuke heads out into the hall and waits for me to follow before turning the light off and leading me to the room right across the hall from his. The only difference is that I know this is Itachi's room.

Sasuke opens it cautiously and peeks in before motioning for me to follow. This room is almost the same as Sasuke's except for the fact that everything is bloody red. Gives me the chills to tell the truth. There is a heavy wooden desk in a corner with probably the nicest computer I've ever seen in my life and Sasuke switches it on before grabbing a second chair and settling himself in the first.

Glancing up at me, Sasuke motions me over.

Just when I think I'm finally going to settle back into my skin, Itachi comes prowling in. (Literally, I'm not joking, the guy is like a cat.) He stands in the doorway for a minute before coming in and shutting the door silently. Did I mention before how everything around here makes zero sound? And for someone like me, who routinely, makes noise like crazy, forcibly restraining myself to polite conversation was kinda making me a bit crazy.

Thankfully, Sasuke starts talking to me: "So, what're we doing this article on?"

Blinking, I scratch the back on my head, "A fire?"

Sasuke thinks on it before shaking his head.

"Someone drowning?"

Again, Sasuke shakes his head.

Now I really dunno what to say: "A murder?"

Itachi quietly chuckles and we both look up. He's standing off to our right a bit and painting languidly with a generous amount of dark green paint, "Why such morbid topics, Naruto?"

I blink and don't answer.

Sasuke smiles a bit, "A murder sounds fine"

Itachi hums his approval; "Uncongenial is always a good way to go"

What is with these two? "Tell me were not actually going to do it on a murder…"

Sasuke shrugs and logs onto his Internet, "Why not?"

I make a face in response and Sasuke smirks.

Itachi pauses, green brush tipped in fresh blue paint, above his canvas thoughtfully, "Naruto, come here a moment"

Sasuke glances up sharply and looks at Itachi warningly.

Itachi, for his part, only smiles brazenly.

Watching their exchanged looks and not really understanding, I get up anyway and head over to Itachi. He adds the bit of blue paint and motions me around to where I can take a look.

At first glace, it look like a zillion dark colors blended together. At second and third glace, I can say that it still makes about as much sense as when I first looked. Questioningly, I look up at Itachi.

He's also looking at the painting. Out of habit (I'm guessing) he toys with the piercing in his tongue (the one I didn't notice before now) and inclines his head slightly towards me, "What does this look like to you?"

I hesitate to answer since I don't really know. Sasuke's also is waiting to see where this is going so I reluctantly admit that I haven't got a clue.

Itachi laughs that same rippling laugh, the one that makes every hair on my body stand up, and slowly puts his paints down on the high table next to the canvas. Turning back to me, he holds up two fingers. One has a ring, but I don't look too much at it. Instead, I focus on his face.

He smiles very slightly, "There are two kinds of art, Naruto: the kind that you do to please others and the kind you do to please yourself"

I nod; makes sense.

Itachi watches me acknowledge that and continues, "The same applies to everything else you might do. No matter what you decide to invest time in, there will be ways of doing it to please others and there will be ways of doing it that will please you personally. Whatever topic you may chose to do your assignment on…as long as you write it carefully, you can even make others see the appeal of your subject. Manipulating your words, much like you can do with your actions can influence others into seeing what it is you see. Understand?"

I nod; amazed at the truth in the statement.

Itachi toys absently with the ring on his hand and continues, "Because of that, you should feel at ease with choosing whatever topic may come to mind and write about it simply because you should know that they are only words chosen for the purpose of communicating to others your ideals…when you are sure of yourself, others won't question you"

Sasuke appears next to me and I jump. Glaring mildly at Itachi, he yanks on my sweater, "I'm done…let's go"

Itachi seems amused by the uncomfortable tension in the air. Presently, I realize that it's between them. Seeing this, I offer up no protest when Sasuke half drags me back across the hall and into his room. Itachi smiles amusedly and turns back to his canvas.

Sasuke slams his door shut and, scowling, he drops his jacket on the floor and goes to sit on his bed. I pick up said discarded jacket and fold it over the back of a nearby chair.

Putting my bag down, I wander over to a window and pull the curtains aside a bit.

What's wrong with Sasuke? How come him and his brother don't get along? Where are the grown ups? I have a zillion questions and no answers…

Chancing some conversation, I slowly come to a stop near Sasuke's bed and seat myself at the foot of it, "You okay?"

Sasuke, previously shuffling thru the papers he'd printed, glanced up long enough to give me a **look**.

Herm…guess not.

Trying again, I shift and lean on the bed, "What just happened? I mean, you're all pissed off already and I haven't done anything stupid yet"

Sasuke smirks very slightly and shrugs, "Nothing's wrong"

I grin, "You're a crap liar"

Sasuke shrugs again.

"Well, you and Itachi seem kinda…not cool with each other, you know?"

Sasuke stiffens, "What does it matter?"

I shrug, trying to play it cool, "Well, you know, I was an orphan for a long time. I think it'd be cool to have a big brother…"

Sasuke laughs, a slightly bitter sound, "A brother isn't that much fun. Itachi's reckless…he's not much of a brother anyway"

"Reckless? How?"

Sasuke looks up sharply, dark blue hair falling into his eyes, "You asked about my parents, right? They died in a car accident…"

I stay silent.

Sasuke looks away and continues, oddly calm, "Itachi was driving, and he's so perfect, so he's not supposed to crash, isn't he? He's not supposed to be the only one to come out of the accident alive, right? And he's not supposed to come home after getting checked at the hospital and say nothing to me, right? Or wait till the funeral place called to confirm the arrangements he'd made, wouldn't you think?"

Chills run up my spine. Sasuke can't be serious, can he? Would Itachi really do these things?

Sasuke taps his pen thoughtfully against his notepad, "Can you imagine learning of your parents being dead almost a week after it had actually happened? And your big brother, who you used to love and look up to, was responsible for not only not telling you but letting it happen in the first place?"

I twist my hands in my lap and shake my head.

Sasuke's eyes narrow dangerously as he continues, "And he thinks he's such a know it all; everyone thinks he's so smart. How come he had an accident then? He's **incapable** of making mistakes like that…Then, you get the impression he did it on purpose and since he's so unaffected by it and the chain of events it led to, you figure there's something wrong with him. Then you realize, that it's just the way he is…somehow, he changed before you could notice and what's left in his place is this person you hardly recognize. Still, you call him your brother and go out in public with him and act like he's not different when he's actually a whole other person"

I pale visibly when Sasuke looks at me sharply, "But we're not doing our Spanish project on that, are we?

That totally slammed shut the open-for-discussion part of this one sided conversation, but I've never known when to let something drop…besides, I might even be a bit of a masochist.

"You really think it's his fault?" I say timidly.

Sasuke sighs, "You wouldn't understand"

Now I'm annoyed. How can he say that? If I don't understand the whole point was to **talk** to me and make me understand.

Scowling myself, I retort, "Then explain it, Dracula!"

Sasuke pauses long enough to give me a measured look.

I shrug and grin to ease off a bit of the tension.

Sasuke hands me a notepad, "Maybe when we're done"

I stick my tongue out at him, "Might as well tell me that topic is closed"

Sasuke smirks, "When did you suddenly get so disrespectful?"

I grin again, "I was always disrespectful. You never hung around me long enough to find out for yourself"

Content with that, I look down at the papers he'd given me and started to work. He's not the only one who could play this game. Sasuke snorts and goes back to work too. Anyway, it was worth a try. At least I didn't totally loose my temper.

I finally got sick of working and nagged Sasuke into making me something to eat, which he grudgingly agreed to do if I promised to stop prodding into his personal life. Of course, I smiled and said I'd stop, but he should know better then to trust a guy who is as curious as I can be.

We go to the kitchen and I sit on the counter, watching with mild fascination as Sasuke moves around a kitchen almost three times the size of my bedroom. Suddenly, a buzzer in the kitchen goes off and Sasuke pauses to look at it. Pressing the red button, he goes back to preparing a light diner.

I'm guessing that someone is coming up and my suspicion in confirmed when the doorbell rings a few minutes later.

Sasuke sighs, "You want to go open the door?"

Nodding, I totter off down the hall and carefully open the door.

How shocked would you be if one of your best friends were standing there?

Haku smiles lightly at me, not at all surprised to see me here and walks in, "Ohiyo"

I stare at him for a minute before I finally understand that Haku is actually, physically, here.

Sasuke wanders into the hall and Haku greets him, "Hi, Sasuke-San"

Sasuke, for his part, nods politely and goes back to the kitchen.

Finally, I react, "WHAT are you doing here!"

Haku grins, "I teach Sasuke how to cook twice a week, I'm sure I mentioned something about this before"

I grin and punch his arm lightly, "I would've remembered if you had!"

Haku smiles slightly, "I'm actually here to pick you up"

I blink at him stupidly.

Haku laughs, "Sasuke called me earlier and cancelled his lesson today because you'd be coming over. He also said that it would be helpful if I could come pick you up"

Still blinking stupidly, Haku ushers me back into the kitchen where Sasuke managed to make small pita bread sandwiches. He sets plate in front of me and gives me a Pepsi.

He then sits back and watches me, half daring and half waiting to see if I'll eat them.

Haku, seeing this, laughs and takes one off my plate.

I settle down and eat them. Surprisingly, they are actually pretty good. However, I'm not about to tell Sasuke that. While I finish eating, something occurs to me, "Why're you taking cooking at school then?"

Sasuke shrugs, "Easy credit"

I pull a face and laugh a bit. I should've known…

Haku sits up suddenly, like he remembered something and turns to me, "Neiji asked me to tell you to call him"

I stare at Haku for a minute and grin, "Really? When did you see him?"

Haku shrugs, "He was still at school when I was leaving"

Sasuke stands abruptly and walks off in the direction of his room. Haku and I share a look before Haku motions for me to go after him. Rolling my eyes, I put my plate in the sink and head down the now quite dark hallway.

Sasuke is packing up my stuff when I finally dare to creep into his room. He doesn't look up when I sit on the edge of his bed and doesn't speak to me as I continue to sit there.

"Ano…we never do get along, do we?" I'm only half asking him. I know the answer for myself.

Sasuke pauses, shakes his head and goes on, ignoring me.

Suddenly annoyed, I flop back on his bed and scowl at the ceiling, "You know, I really hate when you do that"

I can't see Sasuke, but I feel it when he moves closer to where I am. Somewhere off to my left, I hear him, still ruffling papers as he moves a bit closer, "Do what?"

I can tell he's mocking me. Growling, I cross my arms over my chest, "You don't even **like** me, why're you getting so pissed off all of a sudden? What the hell is wrong with you anyway?"

Sasuke stops and I hear him drop my bag onto the floor. Something about the way everything goes deathly silent makes my skin crawl. Right when I'm about to sit up, Sasuke leans over me like a shadow.

When I say the guy is gorgeous, I'm not lying. His hair is falling into his face and his eyes look set and more then determined. His mouth is curved up in a decidedly wicked smirk and he's looking at me like I'm dessert. This would be very flattering if it didn't make me feel like Dracula's latest victim.

Sasuke leans over me and places his hands on either side of my head. I feel the bed dip near my hip as Sasuke sits next to me. I get that feeling of déjà vu except that this time, I feel like a caged animal being offered for sacrifice. Neiji isn't threatening to me, because he's gentle. Sasuke is very unpredictable and I don't even know if gentle is in his vocabulary.

Sasuke's eyes trace the curve of my face and mouth. I know that look because I know it's the look I have on my face when I draw, studying the features of something and imprinting them to memory. He leans further over me and I finally get some sense and press a hand to his chest, more or less stopping him.

Firmly in my opinion, despite the fact that I'm shaking a bit, I look Sasuke in the eyes, "What are you doing?"

Sasuke smirks and leans down on one elbow, letting his hand cup the back of my head and tilt my face up a bit. This also brings our faces a lot closer.

He's not answering me and I feel myself wanting to panic.

Swallowing nervously, I open my mouth to say something else when Sasuke practically crushes his mouth to mine. I've never been kissed like this. It's not horrible but it's nowhere near gentle. His mouth moves over mine with a possessiveness that surprises me and it takes me a moment to realize that this is getting out of hand. Another hint to encourage the fact that this was indeed getting out of hand was Sasuke's tongue in my mouth.

I know I should be protesting but Sasuke's kissing me like he's not about to let me go. I tell you my body is turning to jelly even…

The only reason the kiss stops at all is because Sasuke stops it. There is no way I was going to be able to stop him. It's not like I hadn't wanted to but I felt honestly powerless. I didn't think it was helping that I was also a bit scared of him because of the rather rough childhood we had together.

Gathering my wits, and my breath, I glare mildly at him, "You know…this is getting to be borderline rape"

Sasuke almost looks like he wants to laugh. Instead, he leans over and bites my neck. This sends sufficient shudders thru my body to render me incapable of complaining anymore.

He smiles at the way I relax suddenly because I very well can't help myself and finally answers me, "It's not rape, Usurakontachi, if you let me"

I'd be mad but my body still feels like jell-o. However, I am determined not to let him have the last laugh, "I practically have a boyfriend, you know"

Sasuke looks unfazed, "Hyuga? Does that count?"

I star to feel my basic motor functions coming back and I am also aware of the fact that I'm starting to get mad, "You know what? You can fight with Neiji all you want but I'm not some kind of war trophy. If you wanna piss Neiji off by trying to get into my pants, I'd sooner kiss Sakura then let that happen!"

Sasuke still looks smugly amused and somehow I find that disconcerting.

Was I wrong?

Sasuke finally has the grace to set me straight an prove that I'm not entirely wrong, "For one, Hyuga isn't exactly a real challenge…I could get into your pants without trying much. Second, you aren't a war trophy and third, you'd never kiss Sakura"

I tell you this guy is infuriating…

The sudden knock on the door makes me jump out of my skin. Sasuke lazily lets me sit up not seeming the least bit alarmed that someone was right behind the door. In a hurry to not only get out of here but also grab my stuff, I don't notice Itachi handing me my orange notebook until it's right under my nose.

Alarmed, I yelp and fall back into Sasuke who somehow managed to sneak up behind me. Sasuke calmly takes the notebook from Itachi, "Something you needed, Aniki?"

Itachi smirks the same Sasuke does and he looks way too amused, "Haku is wondering what's taking so long"

Sasuke shrugs, "We'll be there soon"

Itachi turns away and throws another knowing look over his shoulder as he leaves, "Be quick would you?"

Thankfully, he leaves the door open.

Still kind of panicky, I gingerly take my notebook from Sasuke and shove it into my bag. Sasuke sighs, sounding annoyed but doesn't hassle me anymore. He escorts me back to where Haku is waiting at the front door and acts like nothing ever happened when Haku fusses over the fact that I look like I've been taking drugs. Basically meaning that I was really jittery.

Itachi pops up to say a creepily cheerful goodbye and says I should visit again since Sasuke hasn't got my friends. Sasuke himself says a quiet goodbye, his cool-as-ice personae back in full effect. Haku confirms that he'll be back on Friday and whisks me out of the apartment and into the elevator.

"Are you alright?"

Haku sounds more then worried but I can't bring myself to say anything other then, "Yeah, fine"

Haku glances at me in the rear view mirror and smiles slightly at the way I'm curled up in the backseat.

Half asleep and finally calm again; I try to sort out a few things. For one, wasn't Sasuke a certified heterosexual? Don't get me wrong, the guy has had girlfriends…probably more then a guy should be allowed to have, but there were some things about him that I might have overlooked before. Like the fact that he's a perfect dresser, immaculate even, and is good at too many things to take into account. Plus, he wears cologne not deodorant. I wonder why I it never occurred to that he might be…bisexual at least. Another concept that I can't seem to wrap my mind around.

On the other hand, I never would've thought Neiji could return my affections. However, he said so himself that it wouldn't have mattered if I'd been a girl or a boy.

Now though, I think there are going to be real problems. I would never peg Neiji as the jealous type but there was no way I was going to let Sasuke ruin anything. Technically, I didn't have any control in the situation especially since Sasuke is like one of those unknown variables in an equation. You can figure them out but it takes time. I don't know if I'll have enough time. Sasuke doesn't seem the least bit threatened by the idea that I'm already attached and I haven't got a clue how Neiji will react if the finds out.

**If** being the key word.

Crap.

Snuggling into the pillow Haku left in the car, I come to the conclusion that the best thing to do is ignore Sasuke and not let Neiji find out about what happened tonight. If I could do that, then I'd be fine.

Again, **if** is the million dollar question…

Why me?

Ebra: Well, that's the longest chapter I've written so far but it seems all right. I like the way I did the end best . If people think this can't get worse, trust me, it will. Next chapter I figured I'd attempt another multi POV, but the ideas for that are still a bit sketchy. Please review and make any suggestions you like and I'll see you all next chapter! Ja!

PS. Sasuke isn't evil…just really smug XD


	5. Fun In The Sunmostly

Disclaimer: I don't own anything…cept the fic.

Warning(s): See Previous chapter(s)

Pairing(s): Various

Legend:

Person's name: indicates whose POV it's in

Time: indicates the time/whereabouts

: Indicates that time has gone by

**-Word-:** indicates a personal definition of something depending on the POV

Talking: indicates person on the other line when Naru's on the phone

**Ebra**: Sorry about misspelling Neji's name. S'not that I didn't know (I've been scolded before, incidentally --;) but I type pretty fast so I didn't really notice the wrongful spelling. I'm a bit absent-minded sometimes… From now on I'll double check, but don't laugh if you see a few 'Neiji' pop up…And about Gaara: he's not out of the loop, he's just not in it yet! Comments are totally welcome! Also, all the reviews are going to my head, so please keep it up.

Also: **SORRY FOR TAKING FIFTY YEARS TO UPDATE…--**

Thanks all! Read and enjoy!

'Purple Cocaine Prison' Fun In the Sun…mostly 

Naruto/Wednesday Morning/Outdoors

Since today happens to be a half-day, about half of the student body is outside. Not screwing around, mind you, but planting **flowers**. Sounds weird, but it isn't. Mrs. Zen, our cooking teacher, explained that it was 'Landscaping' and that it would make the school look much nicer.

I've been on autopilot all morning. Math and Cooking were cancelled in favor of letting us toast outside, but thankfully, I don't have to deal with Sasuke by myself. Unfortunately, we've been divided up into different 'Task-Forces' as Kakashi-Sensei teasingly calls us.

I'm with Gaara and we're planting the actual flowers. Haku is an organizer so he's somewhere chatting peoples' ears off on how to properly water new flowers, Shika snuck off to sleep under the tree behind the gym, Sasuke is actually getting dirty and digging holes and Neji is helping with the actual flower arrangement so he tells Gaara and I where to actually plant certain flowers.

I'm glad because it's nice out and we're progressing pretty well. Gaara seems to like the weather too and is more talkative then usual. Another thing I forgot to mention that the girls are on the other side of the yard so I don't have to worry about Sakura ripping my head off if Sasuke attacks me and I bite him.

I tell myself not to worry about that since I'm with Gaara.

Gaara, despite the heat, is decked out in his typical flowing white scarf, and converse sneakers. Today he opted for brown Dickies and a black shirt with a band name on it. Even during the planting, he didn't take off his wristbands. One of them caught my eye because it was hot pink and had black cats all over it.

Frowning behind my bandana, I tug playfully at his sleeve, "Aren't you hot?"

Cool jade green eyes turn to me and I get a shrug in response.

Shrugging back, I wait while he hands me another mini rose bush and yelp suddenly when I get pricked, "Geez, these things are sharp…"

Because it's childish instinct, I go to stick my injured finger in my mouth, entirely forgetting that it's highly unsanitary to do so.

Gaara suddenly catches my wrist and shakes his head disapprovingly, "Germs"

Blankly, I stare up at him until it occurs to me he's right. Laughing, I nonchalantly wipe the dot of blood onto the grass, "Right, forgot" It still kind of stings though.

Gaara eyes me and shrugs again. He's getting used to me and I to him. Funnily enough, besides Shika and Haku, I think he's probably someone I feel just as safe with. Certain guys in my life seem to be suddenly deciding that they like me…and I'm supposed to cope with semi-sexual harassment from a certain dark-haired and velvet eyed someone. Luckily too, I'm already attached so it shouldn't be too bad.

Only…being attached doesn't seem to be a big enough deterrent and I don't really want it to escalate into anything more then it is now. Sasuke's probably trying to play games with Neji using me as middle ground but I'm not going to let that happen. Still, the reality is that Neji is probably going to find out about Sasuke one way or another and I don't know whether to be more scared about what they might do to each other or how mad Neji might be at me for not telling him straight when it first started.

Absently, I tuck the rose bush into the hole pre-made by Sasuke's team and pat it in. Next to me, Gaara is doing the same albeit more meticulously. Pausing, I watch the way he tucks in all the roots properly and cups his hands around the base as he pats down to make sure everything underneath is covered up.

Grinning ruefully I realize that I'm not being nearly as careful.

"Ne, Gaara?"

"Hn?"

"D'you plant stuff, usually?"

Gaara shrugs while pulling putting some plastic wrap in the trashcan next to us, "No…first time"

This strikes me as weird cause, lookit, he's a natural, "Your really careful"

Gaara shrugs again, "Mistakes mean having to do it again"

I muse over this as I sit back to look at the long line of holes still waiting to have flowers planted in them, "Do you suppose we'll ever finish in time to go back to Cooking?"

Gaara, uncharacteristically, smiles, "You ask too many questions…I am not young enough to know everything"

Laughing and trying to puzzle that out, I stand slowly, dusting myself off. I turn to head back to where Neji is posted to ask for more flowers when Kiba comes running past.

Kiba and I used to really, **really** not get along. He and Sasuke were the biggest problems when I was a brat. They both semi grew out of beating up on me, but that doesn't mean they've stopped. Kiba was always an instigator and once a prankster always a prankster.

So when he shouts my name and tosses a mini rose bush right at me, it doesn't surprise me too much. The surprising bit happens when I actually catch the thing. The damn thing pricks me so hard that I yelp and drop it.

Gaara stands abruptly and comes to check. Around me, I'm aware of people stopping to come and take a look. It surprises me when Neji takes my hands and examines them carefully.

When did he even get here?

Glancing up at the people surrounding us, Neji asks them to go back to what they were doing before and informed the mildly curious bunch that I would live. He even shoos Sasuke off… if you can call a raised eyebrow and coolly turning away being shooed off.

I'm relieved when people do as their told. I hate being the center of attention.

Neji turns to Gaara, "Take him to the infirmary for me? I'll meet you there"

Gaara's forehead creases and he kind of frowns, "Sure"

"You don't have to come with," I say. Gaara looked sorta annoyed just now…

Gaara shrugs, "It's fine. Let's go"

As if to stop me from protesting anymore, he takes my arm and steers us both towards the building. Once people are out of earshot and out of site, I relax a little more, "You honestly didn't have to come. I'm a big boy"

Gaara pauses long enough to look down at me.

I pull out of our lopped arms and whack his arm lightly. Fuming, I tell him: "I meant mentality wise, not height wise"

Gaara shrugs, "Neji asked"

I grin, "You could've said no"

Gaara holds the door open for me and we enter the cooler building, "Didn't need to"

I grin. People may say Gaara's weird but there is no denying the fact that he's actually a really cool guy.

We wander off to the right and take a few turns before we reach the actual infirmary. The door is wide open but Gaara knocks lightly anyway. We both wait but there's no answer.

Shrugging, Gaara goes in and waves me in after him.

I can remember coming here once during grade ten when I picked a fight with Kiba and it got me more then I bargained for. The nurse was a nice lady, a bit old, and seemed to know just what to do for any situation.

The room matched the lady: soft-spoken and welcoming. It has the typical clinic-like white walls and widows that had blinds and not curtains.

Gaara made me wash my hands while he looked for peroxide. Standing at the sink, I watch him pull a stool out from under the desk and use it to climb up to the medicine cabinets. Balancing perfectly although the stool seemed narrow, Gaara roots thru the first three before finding what he's looking for.

I sit on one of those beds with the scratchy blankets and hold out my hands obediently when Gaara asks me to.

Tipping some of the peroxide onto a cotton cloth, Gaara goes to wipe down my hands but I flinch away.

Patiently, as if talking to a four-year old, Gaara pauses, "It won't burn"

"How do you know?"

Gaara shrugs, "It'll bubble and when it stops, all the germs are gone"

I frown at the cloth, "Stuff like that always burns"

I'm feeling childish…sue me.

Gaara looks up at the ceiling, as if thinking before looking back down at me, "Watch my face while I do it"

"Huh?"

He elaborates, "If your watching my face, you'll be concentrating on me instead of what I'm doing"

I laugh, "What if it **stings** though?"

Gaara seems to roll the question over in his head, "It won't"

"Promise? Cross your heart and hope to die?"

Gaara doesn't even bat an eye, "I promise"

See, this kind of childish behavior that I break out into every once in a while usually gets on people's nerves. I've learned to keep my complaining to myself, mostly. Gaara isn't most people though and doesn't seem the least bit wound up with me for being stupid.

Resigned, I hold out my hands. You can see all the little pinpricks from the rose bush because blood is welling up from every little hole. Fascinated, I flex my hands slightly and more blood surfaces.

Gaara puts a cool finger under my chin and makes me look up at him. I laugh. I completely forgot! I'm supposed to be looking at him.

Patient, Gaara lets me focus on his face and when he sees that I do, he quickly wipes my hands down.

"Geez! That's COLD!"

Gaara smirks, "But it doesn't sting"

I grin; looking at my hands and watching the small wounds bubble like Gaara said they would, "Yeah, yeah, alright"

Gaara gently takes my right hand first and bandages it with gauze and does the same for my left hand afterwards. He's surprisingly gentle. Not because I wouldn't expect him to be but more because he's not the kind of person I could typically picture standing around and doing this for me.

Sighing, Gaara finishes by cleaning up, "Feel better?"

I let myself drop back onto the bed, "Yeah…but I'm kinda sweaty…uh, gross" I squirm a bit when my shirt sticks to my back because of the sweat. I shut my eyes and decide that I'd rather stay here then go back outside; at least there's air conditioning in here…

Somewhere off to my right I hear Gaara rummaging. Sitting up on my elbows, I peer over at him.

He's riffling thru a black satchel bag that I hadn't noticed him having and produces a red and white bundle.

Glancing at me, Gaara holds out the bundle, "You can wear this"

Tentatively, I slide off the bed and reach out to take it. Unfolding it, I see that's it's a long sleeve shirt. It's stripped red and white and has a small skull insignia in the center of the chest. The skull is kinda unusual because it's dark purple and has a grin that shows a few teeth missing.

I grin, "Do you carry a whole wardrobe in there?" I point to indicate the satchel bag.

Gaara shrugs, "Only when I know I'm going to be needing it"

I smile at him before going to pull off my plain gray tee. I freeze when I realize Gaara's eyes on me. We stare at each other a moment before Gaara, without being asked to, turns around. I smile at his back and pull my gray gym tee over my head. It's not that I can't change in front of him; it's more that people have a tendency to ask about my tat…and I never have anything to say about it.

The cooler indoor air makes me shiver a bit. Glancing down at my stomach, I use a finger to trace the tattoo wrapped around my navel like a tribal signature. Frowning, I press my hand flat against it. I never did know where this tattoo came from…

Shrugging, I pull on Gaara's shirt. Hearing this, Gaara turns back around.

The first thing I notice is how light the fabric actually is. The second thing is that the sleeves are too long. The third thing is that the neck of the thing is so wide that it leaves one of my shoulders bare. On the plus side, it's comfortable and I love the colors.

Gaara eyes me, conclusive, "You look good"

Somehow that simple compliment warms my cheeks. I'm being stupid because Gaara is just being nice. On the other hand, it's nice to get a compliment from someone who seems to know what they're talking about.

"Thanks" Out of habit, and out of nervousness and embarrassment, I rub my stomach.

Gaara nods and turns to sit at the open window, "We should wait for Neji"

"Okay"

I look around and spot a Cosmo magazine. Curious, I pick it up and sit back down on the bed. I never could understand why girls read these things and it's not because I didn't like to read either. Flipping it open, I scan the pages: 250 New Spring Fashions You'll Love…10 Things You Never Say To Your Mother-In-Law…8 Bedroom Tricks He'll Love…

Okay…

The last few pages are a bit safer: A mini booklet Bedside Astrologer/Horoscope.

I'm a Libra so I go and read what they have to say about me since I'm interested. I scroll down the page and read the pink box labeled Libra: You're emotional, commit easily and are always looking towards the future. Your creative personality is a boon to your sexual abilities. Nothing's sexier to you then a man willing to talk 'we' instead of 'me'.

Okay…

Laughing, I flip to the Bedside Astrologer part and read a few other things.

SUPER-STRENGHTS:

Open-mindedness, sensitivity, diplomacy

Diplomacy?

I skip the WEAKNESSES and PET PEEVES to read GUILTY PLEASURE which happens to dictate that my guilty pleasure is: Sneaking a peek at porn when my guy's not around because erotic eye candy appeals to me.

Who writes this stuff?

My BIGGEST CHALLENGE is supposed to be: Telling the truth even if it might cause conflict and that I need to learn that a disagreement doesn't have to be the end of the world…or a friendship.

I'm supposed to LOVE big cities and new experiences, HATE phoniness, SECRETLY WISH to be pampered, and CAN'T RESIST being teased…

And to think, people get paid to try and figure this stuff out and make it new and original every month that you read it…

Grinning, I get a this great idea, "Gaara, what's you sign?"

Gaara turns away from the window long enough to give me the eye.

I laugh, "I'm serious. Tell me, please?"

Gaara's frown creases up his forehead adorably as he continues to give me the look. At length, he answers, "Capricorn"

Smiling, I thumb back to the Horoscope and read his out to him: "You're a true romantic, known for your love of life, beauty, and all things sensual and exotic. Your man is as charming and idyllic as you are"

Gaara snorts and surprises me by coming to sit on the bed with me. He peers over my shoulder as I flip over to his Bedside Astrologer predictions.

His STRENGHTS are professionalism, responsibility and loyalty. True enough.

His WEAKNESSES are supposed to be pessimism and stubbornness, which is also a bit true.

Even Gaara laughs a bit when we read that his GUILTY PLEASURE is supposed to be bragging.

In his case, he's supposed to: LOVE anything that makes him feels like he's on top, HATE being poked fun at, SECRETLY WISH to be ordered around and CAN'T RESIST an ego rush.

At that point, with both Gaara and I on the verge of laughing ourselves stupid, Neji pops in unnoticed and watches us curiously. By the time I calm down, Gaara is already aware of Neji and decides to let me in on his little discovery, "Neji's here"

I grin and motion Neji over. Frowning a bit, Neji comes but hesitates when I tug on his wrist to get him to climb onto the bed with Gaara and I.

Dropping the magazine, I wrap both hands around his wrist, "C'mere"

Neji shakes his head and smiles at me, "Why?"

I turn to look at Gaara and mouth 'why?'

Gaara sits back and blinks slowly, "Because you said"

Turning back to Neji, triumphant, I re-declare, "Because I said so"

"There is no space up there and no **time** for this" Neji warns. He isn't annoyed; I can tell because he's smiling.

I decide that desperate times call for desperate measures. I break out into my best set of puppy dog eyes and watch smugly as Neji melts slightly. Rolling his eyes, he sits on the edge.

Content with that, I ask him what his sign is.

Neji gives me a look that speaks volumes about what he thinks but decides to indulge me anyway, "Cancer"

Grinning, I flip to his horoscope and let Gaara read it to him: "You are passive by day, aggressive by night; a shy side replaced by a seductive alter ego. You love the romance and ritual of capturing a man's heart. You've got taste and all your picks are sophisticated as you are"

I don't think there's a price tag fit to match Neji's expression. It's halfway thru incredulous, partially skeptical, and like a hundred percent weirded out. It's too funny.

While I'm busy trying to recover my wits, Gaara flips to his Astrology reading. I calm down and rattle off the important bits:

"Your STRENGHTS are intuition, compassion and generosity. Your WEAKNESSES are moodiness and vindictiveness…" Which is sooo not true, by the way, "…GUILTY PLEASURE's supposed to be watching chick flicks, PET PEEVE is being manipulated-your trust is given away freely but not without lock-and-key insurance, YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE is learning how to be honest about your feelings instead of bottling them up…"

You know, I finally understand why people read these. The shear entertainment value is priceless. Neji is now giving me the raised eyebrow look, but I'm too happy to be concerned. Somehow, laughing always makes me feel better.

Naruto/Lunch

They let us off a little earlier then usual for lunch. Since both Haku and Neji are still busy, I grab Gaara and head off to find Shika. He **was** resting behind the gym but when Gaara and I get there, he's gone. Probably already wandered off as far as I know. I drag Gaara into the building and head for the cafeteria.

Since having put on the shirt Gaara lent me, people have been giving me the eye. All that undue attention makes me a bit nervous but I feel that I can ignore it easily enough for it not to be a massive problem.

Gaara tugs at my sleeve to get my attention when he sees Shika standing just off the gym doors. We wander over and Shika wordlessly hands me lunch. Surprisingly, he hands Gaara some too. Gaara pauses, as if trying to puzzle out any motive behind it, but thankfully only shrugs and thanks Shika in his usual monotone.

Personally, I'm glad that my friends have so easily accepted Gaara.

We never really sit in the cafeteria cause there are about a zillion other people sitting in there so its like the noisiest place on earth…but today is an exception. This is another of the only places within the school that has any air conditioning. Shika calmly leads the way thru the masses to a round corner table and plops down unceremoniously into a seat. Gaara sits on his left and I sit on Gaara's other side.

I eye Shika before making a comment, "Why do you look so tired…you haven't done **anything** all day"

Shika, ever the cheeky kid, has a ready reply, "Being smart is enough work"

Gaara smirks but hides it behind his Pepsi can.

I sit back and survey the cafeteria from our vantage point, "Anyone seen Kakashi-Sensei? He's like the only person **not** working"

Gaara shrugs and Shika laughs, "Who do you think was keeping company back there? I wasn't actually sleeping, you know"

I raise both eyebrows at Shika in an attempt to look scandalized, "You were **what**?"

Before any reply is made, Haku slides into the seat across from mine, next to Shika, and promptly folds his hands down and drops his head onto them.

Shika pokes him, "Earth to Moonbeam…you're tired already?"

Haku looks up long enough to give a dirty look, although since were talking about Haku, the look isn't exactly **that** dirty to begin with.

We all chat for a bit and mostly complain about the labor. Generally, though, we're all in a pretty good mood. I have to admit though, that I drank a surprising amount of water, and when you drink a lot, you end up needing to go to the bathroom. I dread the fact that I'm gonna have to leave my friends, especially since I'm not sure I'll be able to find them again. The prospect of the cooler air-conditioned cafeteria air has brought and kept too many people indoors. Anyway, I excuse myself and hurry out of the place.

Once out the big blue double doors, the silence and heat hit you like they are one and the same. Relieved, I breathe out slowly. Maybe staying out of the cafeteria isn't a bad idea at all, right?

I take the nearest stairwell up and walk down the leftmost corridor to find the bathroom. Right when I'm about to round a corner, I hear voices.

"Check out all the numbers…he knows so many people!"

A smaller, more timid voice, speaks, "A-ano, Sakura-Chan, Ino-Chan, we should give it back, he probably just d-dropped it…" Whoever it is trails off without much conviction

I recognize the next voice as being TenTen's: " Let them be, when it comes to Sasuke, there's no point in trying to talk sense into them"

Temari, a girl I knew as being Gaara's sister when he pointed her out to me before, speaks up, "Right, and if they do get out of hand, we'll do something about it"

Ino's voice drowns out the rest of what is being said, "What did you DO?"

Sakura giggles, "I erased a number, but there are so many…he won't notice"

I realize that if I'm caught by the Divas it could spell massive trouble for me. Sakura and Ino together aren't a nice pair to ever run into if they both dislike you, but I'm beyond curious now. What thing of Sasuke's did they find? I flatten myself against the cool brig wall and peer, mission-impossible style, around the corner.

They're all standing outside the girl's bathroom and yapping. I ignore the chatter and focus on an object Ino plucks out of Sakura's hands and holds over her head and out of reach.

Sasuke's cell…

When they start moving to go somewhere else, I duck back down the hall and slide to a halt behind a few lockers. They walk past, still chattering, and don't notice me. I breathe another massive sigh of relief and stare after them.

I have to admit that Sasuke scares me a bit, and I know I should stay away from him if I can manage, but the fact that those girls took his cell makes me a bit angry. I mean a cell is a personal piece of property. I know for a fact that Sasuke's probably really pissed off about misplacing it, and knowing those two, he wasn't likely to get it back until they had thoroughly gone thru the contents of the small, stylish, black and red, Sony phone.

So what was I supposed to do about it?

Technically, I had two options. The safer, more though thru one, was to tell Sasuke about it later if I saw him and let him get it back himself. The second, more unsafe and definitely less thought thru one, was to go after the girls myself and see if I could get it back.

Although there was absolutely no reason for me to even care enough to even be considering any of this, the idea of trying to get the phone back myself appealed to me more then it should have, if you know what I mean.

Suddenly, I can't help the grin that breaks out onto my face. I should think of this more as a test…I'm good at being quiet and it's not like they can really kick the crap out of anything, or me for that matter, if I'm caught.

Smiling, I head quietly after them; if I don't get the phone, it'll be fine, but if I do get it…maybe I can blackmail Sasuke into behaving when it comes to respecting my boundaries.

In the end, putting Sasuke in his place was too appealing to pass up…

I had always wondered what the hell it was that these girls got up to during their time spent together and now that I knew, I was less then impressed. They poodled around, talking and trading gossip, and did not much else.

Sakura had finally gotten the phone back and had secretly slipped it into her prized pink Prada handbag without anyone really noticing, except me. They finally took a break and headed towards the computer lab on the third floor in the red building. It's the only lab open for students' personal use during lunch because there were always teachers supervising.

They all settled into a corner and signed on to MSN.

Now, I was kinda discouraged. They're all in there which means that they will notice me if I wander in, not to mention the fact that stealing Sakura's handbag, if only to get the phone back, was next to impossible, considering that the thing was practically surgically attached to her side.

I sit down juts outside the door and try to think.

"N-naruto-Kun?"

I jump, and glance up to come face to face with Neji's silver eyes. I realize suddenly, that it isn't Neji, but his timid little cousin, Hinata.

I clutch my heart, and laugh lightly, "Hi Hinata"

She smiles slightly, a blush creeping into her cheeks and crouches down next to me, her hands in her lap, "What a-are you, um…is t-there something you w-wanted?"

I rub my stomach thoughtfully, "You guys have Sasuke's phone right?"

Hinata shakes her head vigorously, "L-lie…Sakura-Chan and Ino-Chan have it…I w-wanted to give it b-back...b-but…"

I put a finger against her lips to stop her from babbling, "Relax, Hinata, I'm not going to tell or anything"

She visibly reddens more, and I write it off as embarrassment, "Anyway, it doesn't matter, because it looks like Sakura is going to get to keep it"

Hinata hesitantly reaches up to pull my hand away. Her hands are way smaller then mine, so she doesn't manage to fold my larger hand in her own, "Maybe…I c-can get it for y-you?"

I raise an eyebrow, interested: "How?"

She looks away and idly traces small patterns on the back of my hand with her free hand, "It w-wouldn't matter h-how…b-but I c-could if…if…y-you wanted…"

I grin at her, "That would be chill…but don't get caught, alright? Nothing is worth being caught"

Hinata nods vigorously, her hair falling over her eyes.

I'm suddenly struck by how cute she is and lean over to press a kiss to the back of the small white hand holding my much larger, tanned one, "Thanks"

She turns fifty shades redder, but I dismiss it. I stand and tug her gently to her feet, "I'll see you later, then?"

Hinata nods vigorously again and almost runs into the computer lab. I stare after he for a minute and laugh quietly. She's like that little sister I never hand.

I make it back to the cafeteria in time to be subjected to the Inquisition and am saved by the bell. People are happy about going home early, so the rest of us just go with the flow. Literally because the sea of people flooding out the doors practically drags us more easygoing types right along with them.

I say early goodbyes to Gaara, Shika and Haku before heading off towards my own locker. I ignore the way people eye me when they think I don't notice and think ahead to where I was most likely to find Neji.

It kind of surprised me to see someone waiting for me at my locker, but not so much when I saw that it was Hinata. She smiled broadly at me and handed me the cell. Surprised, I grin at her: "Hey, you did it!"

She turns scarlet: "It was n-nothing…"

I smile at her while opening my lock and kicking the door. It pops open and I toss my books in. Hinata stands next to me, finally a little more at ease.

"N-naruto-Kun?"

I look up and she stammers a bit more but stops dead.

"Nani? Hinata?" She sounded like she wanted to ask something.

I peer over my shoulder and notice Neji wandering over.

He's changed clothes since this morning and is deck out in a silver shirt and black jeans. His hair is up in the ponytail I love so much and hair is falling every which way onto his shoulders and face. He's topped off the look with comfortable looking black and white sneakers and is wearing a fetching pair of pale blue shades that make his already silver eyes look a really nice metallic sea blue.

He looks gorgeous…but anyone could have told you that.

Coming to a stop next to me, Neji smiles enigmatically before turning to address Hinata, face serious, "Is Hinata-Sama going home?"

The formality of the way he talks kind of catches my attention.

Hinata doesn't look up at Neji directly; "A-ano…would Neji-San mind driving me h-home?"

Neji sighs, "Hinata-Sama, you should not feel uneasy about asking simple things of me"

He sounds a little chiding.

Hinata smiles a watery smile, "A-ah, Sumimasen"

Neji shrugs, "You are also not in need of apologizing"

Hinata falls silent.

Something tells me not to say anything.

I turn back to my locker and pull out my cooking workbook before slamming the door shut, "I need to go find someone and I'll be really quick. Why don't you two go ahead?"

Neji smiles slightly at me and asks Hinata to come with him. I watch when they leave. Something about the way they are together makes me think of a master and a servant…but I can't place who as being who…

Sasuke isn't at his locker, but that's to be expected. He'd probably get mobbed if he were. I eye some of the girls that are kind of still hanging around and head for the exit. I sprint down the stairs to the third floor and suddenly, there he is, right smack in the middle of the stairwell.

Sasuke is brooding…there is no other word for it. There's practically a black cloud hanging over him. I take in his appearance without surprise: a red sleeveless tank, several wristbands, black capris and black flip-flops. He cleans up well, this guy.

He hasn't noticed me yet, so I try to make my presence known without incurring Dracula's immediate wrath, "Yo"

Sasuke's head whips around and I am fixed to place, practically physical pinned, by his look. He eyes me up and down before black-velvet narrowed eyes relax and his face looses its frown. He turns back to the window, the one that let's you see out onto the parking lot, and sighs, "What, Dobe?"

I feel myself wanting to get mad, but I don't have time to play games with him today…not with Neji waiting for me, "Listen, I found your phone so…"

Sasuke glances back at me over his shoulder, "Come here…"

I don't even hesitate and before I know it, I am standing next to him

Sasuke turns towards me, a decidedly evil twist coming to his mouth, "Found it where?"

I stare up at him, defiant, "With girls"

Sasuke smirks, "I should've known"

I am starting to get a little bothered y the way his eyes keep roaming over my face, "Ne, Sasuke, I gotta go so…"

Sasuke tilts his head questioningly, hair falling into his yes, "Where?"

I don't want to answer.

"Are you going out…" Sasuke starts slowly, reaching out to run the back of his hand along my jaw, "…with a certain someone?"

My voice sticks in my throat and I only manage to shake my head.

Sasuke leans forward, his warm breath ghosting past my ear as he whispers, "You're a crap liar"

I shudder despite myself and let it happen when Sasuke wraps his arms possessively around my waist, "Think you'll have fun?"

I slowly reach up and press my palms against his chest, my intent to push him away. Only…I'm **not** pushing him away and I'm noticing how warm he is and how I can feel the steady beating of his heart under my palm instead. My throat is getting dryer by the minute and I know, I feel it even…he could do anything he wanted and I wouldn't be capable of stopping him.

He knows this, the bastard.

A hand slides into my hair, fingers curling into the strands and a palm pressed against the back of my neck, "Let's make a bet"

I look up slowly. Sasuke's smiling evilly, like someone who **knows** they are in total control and leans forward enough to brush our lip together. Compared to the first time we kissed, it's much softer. But he's got me right here he wants me because I'm already having to bite my lip and look away to stop myself from doing anything stupid…like kiss back.

Sasuke laughs darkly against my neck as he nuzzles me. This softer, more teasing side of Sasuke is really off-putting; I can't read into his motives at all. Before, it was about embarrassing me, trying to prove that he had an effect me, that he could worm his way into my fantasies and pretend to be someone real to me…it was about winning.

Now…I couldn't tell and when you can't tell…it's like unknown poison…you don't know what it is, so you can't find an antidote. It eats you slowly from the inside.

I bite my lip until a can faintly taste blood in my mouth. Amazingly, this brings me back to myself. Taking a deep breath I push Sasuke away firmly, my whole body focusing on trying to reject him.

Keyword being trying…

Sasuke's arms leave my body and there is suddenly a more normal distance between us. I breathe out slowly, proud of myself.

Sasuke laughs, dark, but tinged with amusement, "Cute…"

I scowl at him, but he doesn't seem to even notice. Brushing the hair back out of his eyes, he continues, "You'll think of me"

I stick my tongue out him, "Your crazy"

Sasuke smirks and continues, totally unfazed, "When he touches you…or kisses you…and whispers in you ear…you'll think of me"

I pale, "Shut up" I'm too scarred of his mind games to take this lightly.

Sasuke's smile gentles, "When I'm all you can think of…even when you have him, you'll realize that I'm not playing these games with you just for fun"

I swallow thickly and do the only thing I can.

Run…

Neji and Hinata are waiting for me when I make it outside. Shockingly, my little trip to hell while visiting Dracula only lasted maybe five minutes. Goes to show that time passes more slowly when you visit the twilight zone.

I act as normally as I can. I smile; make up a lame excuse for being late, slide into the passenger seat next to Neji, chatter about nothing and everything, and most importantly, patch up any and all cracks in my mask while Hinata stutters timid answers to my questions and Neji drives carefully.

I am not proud of this mask; to say that I was would make me a liar. Reality is that it's both my best defense against life and the only thing that I hate so completely about myself. However, I do respect it. It's the one thing that keeps me together when the rest of me is falling to pieces.

Hinata starts to point out things to me as we get closer to the Hyuga estate and I am more and more uneasy about the place. Knowing that someone has money and **seeing** that they have money are two completely different things.

The trip up to the main house if definitely and eye opener.

Neji parks and lets Hinata clamber out. She pauses to ask him something and he nods before she hurries up the steps and disappears thru the huge double door entrance.

I stare after her and Neji explains, "She wants to lend you a movie; she thinks you'll like it"

I smile.

Turning back to fiddle with the sleeves of the shirt that Gaara lent me, I try to figure out a way to explain to Neji that I don't really feel like going out…and that I'd rather crash at my place.

Neji gets my attention by reaching over to take one of my hands. I glance at him and he's looking at me with soft eyes, "Would you rather do something less…" he looks for a word before continuing, "…stirring…then going out?"

I laugh, "You practically read my mind"

Neji smiles.

Hinata wanders back with the movie and Neji and I take off after saying goodbye to Hinata. We decide to order out and crash at my place, which by the way, suits me perfectly.

"The greatest problem in communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished"

I swallow the sushi in my mouth before giving Neji the eye, "Who said that?"

Neji smiles, "Daniel W. Davenport"

I chew my bottom lip while I try to think of something to say back: "Using a feather is erotic, using the whole bird is kinky"

The desired effect is achieved. Neji chokes on the ginseng tea he's drinking and gives me the most disbelieving look ever.

Laughing, I shrug at him, "Something I heard once"

Neji gives me a look, "You spend too much time around Shikamaru"

That makes me laugh. Shika does have sense of humor, but he rarely makes lewd jokes…but it does happen.

Neji brushes his hair back past his shoulder and takes another bite of sushi. He chews thoughtfully before saying: "There are a lot of things in life that make living impossible, but independence isn't one of them"

I muse over that one for a minute.

Neji shifts next to me and I snap back to the present.

We're curled up on the floor in my living room in front of the red-suede couch. The painting Neji and I had drawn together last week is tacked to the wall next to the bay window. It's already dark outside despite the fact that it wasn't all that late.

We'd moved the TV and my futon from my room to the living room so we could be comfortable. Neji had ordered out and picked sushi. When we had started eating, Neji had insisted that I open my fortune cookie before eating. That had got us talking about funny or interesting quotes we'd heard before.

So anyway, things were going really well despite the fact that we'd dropped all or any previous plans we'd made and opted to just curl up in my place. Soon after we finished eating, we opted to watch the movie that Hinata had lent me.

The Motorcycle Diaries

It was about Ernesto Che Guevara, a guy who had started getting out into the world and seeing his own country by leaving his home in Rosario, Argentina. He studied medicine and even spent time with Leapers.

Neji explains to me afterwards that he teamed up with Fidel Castro in 1959 to force a revolution in Cuba and traveled the world to offer assistance in various other countries but was captured in Bolivia by the U.S backed military and executed in 1967.

Since I still couldn't understand why they had killed Che, Neji elaborated: "People are afraid of you if you can affect change. To do that, Che had to have influence and more importantly, people's confidence. You are a threat if you have that kind of non-violence based power: to be seen, heard and followed. Affecting change, whether it is to start it or stop it, is critical in the way the world works. Evolution, specifically, is the course of change"

My boyfriend can be shockingly serious at times but he's also majordomo smart…

I'd fallen asleep a little bit after the movie was over so it was normal for me to be e bit disoriented. Neji was nowhere in sight and the room was dark except for a lamp that had been left on near the bay window.

Everything had been cleaned up and there was nothing in the room except for the couch, the futon, the silence and me. It took my dazed mind a few minutes to realize that one very important thing was missing.

I pulled the sheets off myself and wandered out into the dark hallway. While hobbling past the kitchen I noticed that it was already eight-ish. Pausing, I listened to the silence and caught the distinct sound of the shower running.

Interest perked, I walked quietly towards the bathroom and stopped just outside the closed door. Light flooded out from under the door and steam billowed thru when I lightly pushed the door open a crack wider.

Abruptly, the shower flicked off and the shower curtain was pushed aside as Neji moved to get a towel. Afraid to be caught, I held my breath and flattened myself to the wall. I listened as he toweled down and when I dared to look again, he was mostly dry and somewhat dressed.

He stood, pausing, in front of the sink, a towel in hand and his silver button down in the other. He was only wearing his black jeans and had his hair down.

He moved slightly and disappeared beyond my line of site…I held my breath and wondered if now was a good time to sneak off…

Suddenly, the door is yanked open and the warmth of the bathroom hits me full in the face. The bright light makes me squint a bit and Neji, who just caught me, laughs lightly and pulls me in.

Blushing, I stammer an excuse, "I was looking to see if you…were…you, know…"

I give up and fall silent.

Neji, standing again at the sink, takes my rarely used brush and slowly eases all the tangles out of his hair. The little blond bit is still there from before.

He looks at me in the mirror, "You were sleeping"

I grin, "I was…not anymore though"

Neji smiles, agreeing, "That's fine…shall we go back?"

I nod and Neji leaves the comb in favor of reaching for take his hair tie. Moving, I wrap my hand around his wrist, "Leave it…your hair's fine down"

Neji indulges me and leaves the hair tie.

I, having a solid grip on his wrist, drag him back to the living room.

It occurs to me to ask: "When are you going home?"

Neji drops gracefully onto the futon and pulls me down to sit in his lap, "When you want me to"

I smile at that.

These are the parts that make me nervous. I really, honestly feel like I like Neji, but I can never make up my mind about what too do with him once were alone. Thankfully, Neji is a born leader so he starts to do what he does best.

Reaching up slowly, as if letting me keep track of his movements, he smoothes a hand into my hair. It's been a pretty long day, so the hair gel I dump on every morning has long since faded. I go with the flow, pressing myself to him. I lift my arms from my lap and wrap them tentatively around his wide, smooth, slopping shoulders. It's reassuring when I can anchor myself to him like this.

Neji's second hand is pressed at the base of my spine and creeps up only as far as the center of my back. For a time, we just hold each other. My chin is against his collarbone and I can feel the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Neji's nuzzles the top of my head, "Ready?"

That word has several meanings...most of which I'm hopping that I'm ready to deal with. There is a lot of permission I'm signing away, and I feel it, when I say, "Yeah"

Neji, and this is why I love this guy, doesn't take my affirmation as a signal to just dive in. Slowly, the warm hand settled on my back slides up and cups my face. Using the leverage that he has on me, Neji tilts my head back and away from the shelter of is body. His eyes are luminescent and warmer then I have ever seen them.

Suddenly relaxing, I smile a small smile for him. Neji doesn't quite smile back, but he doesn't have to; I can see it in his eyes. Leaning down, he kisses me. The softness of the kiss shocks me into remembering Sasuke's kiss earlier in the afternoon. Resolved to forget about Sasuke, I press my lips more firmly against Neji's.

Slowly, Neji sets me back down against the futon. His mouth leaves mine and he trails off along my jaw and neck. My right hand is still slung around his shoulder but my left has a fist-full of silky brown hair. Until now, I'd never really thought about the height and size difference when comparing myself to Neji. I didn't think it would be a big deal.

Neji's got me 100 distracted when he presses a knee between my own. I part my thighs instinctively and his leg slides between my own. Slowly, the weight of his lower body shifts and aligns itself to me. Something very prominent settles itself against my hip.

This makes me gasp in such a way as to make Neji smirk.

Blushing, I chance a joke, "Is that for me?"

Neji looks almost amused but he's too busy eyeing my shoulder where I'm sure a very obvious hickey has bloomed, "Do you want it to be?"

I laugh, albeit breathlessly, and pull him down for another kiss. I suddenly become very aware of both Neji and my own body. When Neji shifts slightly against my lower half, the friction makes me squirm.

Neji is very different in that way that he's gentle with me, careful of everything and cautious because he seems to already know what he's doing. I know were not going to have sex...but the way he's going on might make me consider it.

If I was going to say anything, I stop myself when Neji starts to lift the bottom half my shirt. The intent look on his face makes it apparent that no matter what I may say; he's not going to stop. I'm a bit worried that he's going to see my tattoo but that's only because he's going to want an explanation that I can't give.

I shut eyes tight wait for the question I know is coming.

No question is asked.

Instead, I feel his hand smooth itself over my belly. Using a finger, Neji lazily traces the tattoo from the outside edges all the way around the spiral and straight into my navel. The hand lifts itself away and traces the outside symbols last. When I open my eyes, Neji is leaning over me, hair sliding over his bare shoulders and brushing my face and neck.

"It's beautiful"

It takes me a minute to register that he's talking about my tat. I grin up at him, relieved, "I've seen more beautiful things"

He laughs lightly and leans farther over me. I reach up to wrap my arms around his shoulders again but he catches both my writs and lays them aside. Obediently, I leave them where he places them, palms up, just above my head.

Neji shuts my eyes with a finger and presses a kiss to the back of each eyelid. One of his hands slides beneath my neck and tilts my face upwards. Neji nips my bottom lip before kissing me. It's as gentle as before but more exploring. I'm no expert at kissing, so I hold my breath while we kiss so when he pulls away and nips my bottom lip, I'm completely breathless.

The second nip he gives me stings mildly, but as if sensing that, Neji sucks gently on my lip to soothe the mild twinge pain. Since I can't resist, I reach up and wrap my arms back around his shoulders and he doesn't stop me because he's otherwise occupied. Opening my eyes a sliver, and watch the way my tan skin looks so stark against his lighter skin.

Neji pulled away slightly and kisses the corner of my mouth gently, "Bedtime"

"Are you serious?"

Neji laughs and hides his face in the crook of my neck, "Either that or you're not going to school tomorrow"

It takes me a minute to try and figure out what exactly that means, "What if I don't mind?"

Neji doesn't answer right away, but reaches over to pull the blanket over us, "I'd feel bad"

I pull Neji's half hidden face up to mine and raise my eyebrow at him.

He shocks the crap out of me by full out laughing. Stunned, I don't protest anymore when he rolls us over and tucks me against his chest, my head under his chin.

Grinning against his collarbone, I lean away to look at his face, "Was that a freak accident or will I see that more often?"

Neji doesn't answer but raises an eyebrow and it's my turn to laugh. He reaches out and pulls me back into him.

We fall silent and slowly, I start to drift to sleep.

It occurs to me then, that I've got to have the most caring and considerate boyfriend in the world. Not to mention the fact that he's also gorgeous.

So…how did he end up mine?

Ebra: Done Next chapter by Sat. I promise!


	6. Understanding For A Day

Author: Ebra

Gomen for the delay; I'm only 17 so my parents still retain the right to ban me from the computer, especially since exams had reared their ugly heads laughs

I will be trying to sort out the BETA reader stuff a soon a possible although don't expect anything lightening fast. You'll all just have to live with my mistakes for a bit longer - Also, when summer started, I was a bit busy looking after my new puppy. Biscotti is a handful and won't let me sit around long enough to write anything; my apologies.

Please Read, Review and Enjoy!

Purple Cocaine Prison 

_**Understanding For A day **_

Naruto/Waking up

I'm propped up on my right elbow and looking down into Neji's face. For some reason, I woke up early. Something that is both unheard of and actually kind of nice.

Neji is still sleeping. His left arm is wrapped around my waist and his right is curled around my hipbone. His face is pale and completely smoothed out in sleep. He looks peaceful to the point of me not wanting to wake him up. So instead, I distract myself from his face by looking at the way his hair fanned out during the night.

The long, dark strands are splayed over the pillow and lying out on the floor behind him. Some hair curled up on his bare shoulder and neck. Some had also fallen into his face. Reaching out, I brush the hair off his shoulder. I hold my breath; grinning like a crazy person, as he shifts and his arms tighten around me. As he moves closer to me, his hair follows, the ends curling on the edge of the futon.

I study the way the muscles in his arms twitch under my light touch when I slide my fingertips down to his wrist and then, carefully, intertwine our hands. I really don't wanna wake him up but it's not like I have a choice in the first place. Leaning down, I place a kiss in the little place between his eyes.

He stirs but doesn't wake up.

Grinning still, I kiss the middle of his forehead. Half sure it would wake him up, I watch as he buries is face into the pillow instead. Laughing quietly, I kiss the only place not hiding in the pillow: the bottom of his jaw. This time, he mumbles vaguely and turns his face back towards me.

I'm guessing that it's gonna take more then little butterfly kisses to wake him up.

Using the leverage I kinda sorta have on him, I push our intertwined hands until he rolls onto his back. Now that I'm half lying on his chest, his arm still around my waist, I can tell that he's not so asleep anymore. Slowly, Neji cracks both eyes open and two slivers of bluish-silver peek out at me.

Neji closes his eyes again and ignores me when I grin at him. Still smiling, I lean down and kiss him properly. He doesn't kiss back. I think he's trying to protest being woken up so early. Undaunted, I lean in again and press my tongue into his mouth, my own personal way of saying 'Good Morning'.

This time, he doesn't play dead.

We kiss for maybe a full two or three minutes before he breaks away and I tuck my head under his chin.

Nuzzling his bare collarbone, I take a minute to ask my first rhetorical question of the day, "Awake yet?"

Neji's chest rises and falls steadily with every measured breath he takes. Absently, as if still half asleep, Neji gently rubs my back. It takes him a full minute to answer, "Are you trying to be annoying?"

I laugh and Neji just sighs and keeps rubbing my back. We lie there for a few more minutes before Neji nudges me and we both sit up. Neji's hair is actually pretty long. Looking at it now, I can clearly see that it must be a massive pain the ass to blow-dry.

Neji slowly finger combs it and I marvel at the fact that it's not even tangled.

I sit back and survey the sky through the bay window. The sun is barely peeking out and the sky is practically still dark. Turning back to Neji, I watch him plait his hair into a single, loose braid and toss it over his shoulder.

Seeing me starring, Neji smirks. I blush and turn away.

Scratching the back of my head out of embarrassment, I explain vaguely: "I love your hair"

Reaching out, he curls his fingers around the back of my neck. His other hand, still intertwined with mine, pulls me closer to him. Touching his forehead softly to mine, he smiles: "Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you."

I grin a fraction of my usual grin and hide my face in his shoulder. I'm pretty thankful for the fact that I'm already sitting 'cause that would've made my knees turn to jelly.

How does he do that to me?

Neji moves and the sheets slide off his side and onto my lap. He stands and stretches before reaching down to haul me onto my feet. I blink stupidly when I come face to face with his bright silver eyes. He laughs quietly at my deer-in-headlights- look, "We should shower"

I blink at him, "Lets"

Neji stops and looks me over thoughtfully, "Maybe not"

Pouting, I try my best to look innocent, "Why not?"

Neji uses his right hand to smooth my left eyebrow down, "If we go together, we wouldn't be showering"

I grin, "So what?"

Neji ignores me and continues matter-a-fact, "We would be screwing around"

My grin widens, "What's wrong with screwing around?"

Neji smirks, "Everything"

I give him my best puppy-dog look and hope for the best. Neji looks like he wants to give in but toughens his resolve at the last minute, "You'll tidy up and I'll shower"

I roll my eyes at him.

Neji shrugs, "I'll make you breakfast"

That gets my attention. I may not be too happy about being banned from showering with him but that doesn't mean that I can't see that he's trying to make up for it.

Nodding, I push him towards the hall, "Ok, fine, but I get to choose next time"

Neji pauses and pulls me close enough to rest his chin on my head, "Next time what?"

I pretend to be annoyed and grumble under his chin, "Next time you sleep over"

Neji lets me pull out of his embrace and eyes me, amused, "There will be a next time?"

I stomp towards my futon and start tidying up, "Stop teasing me, go take your damn shower"

Neji smirks and disappears into the dark hallway. Once I'm sure he's gone and I can hear the shower running, I laugh little. I'm rubbing off on him big time.

Naruto/Friday Morning/Physics

Neji and I split after we got to school since we have different classes in the morning today. The bus ride was pretty fun since I spent a lot of time trying to embarrass Neji by sitting in his lap and fussing over him. A couple of people had been starring, and I wasn't sure if it was being with Neji that gave me the confidence, but I'd been fooling around more in public then I ever had in my life. Laughing till I almost peed my pants was worth Neji being even a little mad at me. Besides, I got to see skin-like-flawless-marble Neji blush.

Very worth it…

Anyway, after I came down from my morning high, I'd been forced back down to ground zero because of an irritating thing called reality. I had physics first thing and had to make an effort at trying to listen and actually do some of the assignments cause my mark at midterm had been less then exciting.

The point is, though, that I hate this class and will continue to as long as I live. The only reason I survive it typically is because of Gaara.

Today, my red haired enigma is wearing black capris and a checkered white and orange t-shirt. The usually white scarf is black toady. He's got his sneakers on and several wristbands only on his left arm. There's this little Happy Bunny pin on his butt pocket that says: 'It's okay if you wanna drop dead'. What really gets my attention though is the panda eyes. Gaara always has panda eyes but today he opted for notice-me-blue instead of mellow-fellow-black. They're extra noticeable because they're this color that is like black-that-fades-into-blue tinted mascara. He also painted a teardrop under his right eye.

He's adorable

Since it'd been kinda chilly this morning I'd decided to bundle up like an Artic inhabitant to be better-safe-then-sorry in plain jeans and hiding inside of one of a thousand sweaters I owned. I just wasn't paying enough attention when I picked it out cause the damn thing is this 'new-leaves' kinda green and since my hair's bright blonde, you can see me from miles away in every direction when I'm wearing it, which naturally, irritates the crap out of me.

I hadn't forgotten to bring back the shirt Gaara had lent me but he totally refused it saying that it looked better on me anyway, which wasn't exactly a bad thing because I'd kind of grown attached to the thing.

So we're sitting there and the teacher is going on and on about acceleration and velocity when Gaara suddenly turns to me and takes my hands. They're fine now since they got tended to so quickly yesterday, but they're still a bit sore. As if announcing a doctor's prognostic, jade green eyes settle on me and Gaara lets me know quietly: "I think it will be alright"

Grinning, I intertwine our fingers, "You sure?"

Gaara smirks, "I bandaged them, didn't I?"

For a second, we both stare at our joined hands. It occurs to me that Gaara might not think of holding hands with others guys as normal, so I move to take my hands away. Gaara lets me take my hands without resistance and looks back towards the blackboard.

Laughing under my breath so that the teacher wouldn't hear, I tease him, "Nurse Gaara"

Turning slowly to me, Gaara narrows his eyes into slits I can barely see because of his panda eyes and tries to give me a dirty look. I'm not sure if it's because he considers me a friends or if it's the fact that I finally made him understand that scowling a people did not, in fact, cause them to blow up, but the look seemed a lot softer then I remembered it being. After attempting to give me 'le regard' pissed off, he smirks lightly and turns back to the lesson.

Gaara has a very surprising personality. I can vouch for it because it caught me off guard first hand. He can be pissy but generally only with people who give him a bad impression. He seems to let things run their course, just to see where they lead because he likes to give his opinion. Not to mention the fact that he's very confident in what he says. Overall, he's a very self-assured person, my polar opposite.

I find that being with Gaara is probably the safest place to be when I'm not with Shika or Haku or Neji. Glancing towards the board where the teacher has written two more lines worth of notes, I yawn quietly behind a hand and pillow my head on Gaara's shoulder. Feeling me there, Gaara slouches a bit to accommodate me. Grinning into his shoulder, I snuggle down and let my eyes drift shut.

Looking at Gaara from the side, you wouldn't figure that he's playing pillow for me. Since we sit on the far left side of the classroom, I sit between the window and Gaara; therefore, you have to look around Gaara to see me. Since the teacher never bothers to, I always catch a quick catnap in the mornings in Physics. Other people look at this habit of mine as being rude and the worst way to learning anything, technically because you're not listening when you sleeping right? The way I see it, I'm doing the teacher and my fellow students a favor. When I'm not sleeping, I'm complaining and trust me, that's much worse.

Gym

Gaara wakes me in time for Gym. I'm sort of dreading it this morning because we're playing Soccer. I've played it before, and I'm not bad, but it's too early to be running around. Kakashi-Sensei instructs us to pull on some light outerwear cause we're playing on the full field. Groaning, the bunch of us go to change.

Neji and Sasuke seem to want to leave each other alone this morning, which I'm grateful for. Gaara sticks close to me and I also appreciate it. Since Shika and Neji are out before everyone else, they help Sensei carry out the equipment. Gaara and I, along with the rest, tag along.

We sit in our typical squads and watched as Kakashi-Sensei wandered back indoors. Today was a pretty good day for playing outdoors cause it wasn't too warm and not too chilly now that it was later in the day. I was also thankful for the fact that it had warmed up 'cause I didn't know if I could stand anymore of wearing my sweater.

Kakashi-Sensei isn't a fan of the cooler air and when he wanders back he's bundled up in an oversized navy blue sweater and a massive gray scarf. To top off his crazy look, he's also wearing big black shades and earmuffs. The only other unusual thing is the guy, similarly bundled up, walking next to him.

The guy is hiding inside a massive gray sweater. Like Sensei, he's also wearing shades, although his are a lot smaller and a bit more stylish. He's got jet-black hair that sticks up a bit because of the bandana he's wearing. His hands are stuffed into his pockets casually and he's wearing track pants and sneakers like the rest of us. He looks kind of distant in this whole I-don't-normally-associate-with-other-teen-agers-but-I'll-tolerate-you-all-anyway kind of way. Sensei announces that his name is Aburame Shino and that he's part of our Gym class and that we should treat him with respect and blah.

The newly dubbed Shino looks over us with a mildly bored look but stops and nods at someone. Next to me, Gaara nods back. Sensei let's Shino sit with us because he also noticed that Gaara and Shino looked like they knew each other.

Next, Kakashi-Sensei takes quick attendance and checks the equipment and borrows some of the guys to set up pylons. While this is going on, Kiba decides to razz me.

"Yo Blondie, I'm surprised ya didn't die a rosebush poisoning"

Some of the guys laugh

Pulling on the cheekiest grin I can manage, I smirk at him, "Whose the one who swelled up like a bloated hippo last summer when he got stung by a wasp?"

More of the guys laugh

Kiba's either in a good mood or totally undaunted, "Yeah, who's the one that got his ass kicked around everyday after that for laughing so much at me?"

Some of the guys are really laughing now

Scowling, I stick my tongue out at him, "Just because you're a prick doesn't mean you have to act like one"

Kiba laughs loudly along with his friends; "Maybe you wouldn't be so offended if you weren't such a baby"

This is bordering on annoying but I'm staying cool. I know for a fact that losing my temper would make Kiba the winner. Before I can open my mouth again, Neji speaks up, "Kiba, stop being childish"

Kiba pauses surprised for a second, before laughing harder, "Yo, Blondie can defend himself right?"

Gaara, who hadn't really spoken up all day, sits up slowly. Fixing Kiba with a piercing look, he says slowly to be clear: "Shut up, Scruffy"

Kiba raises both eyebrows in an attempt to look surprised, "Or you'll do what, Princess Panda?"

At this point, even I can tell you things are getting out of hand. Gaara doesn't seem the least bit annoyed at being directly teased about his panda eyes. Instead, he stands slowly, the entire gym class watching, and heads straight for Kiba. I open my mouth to protest but Neji lightly touches my arm. When I turn to look at him, he's smirking. Shutting my mouth, I turn back to see what exactly is going to happen.

Gaara looms over Kiba, his shadow completely casting over a slightly surprised Kiba. Gaara's decked out in black track pants and a loose red tank top. He took off all his wristbands off along with his scarf but pinned the Happy Bunny to his tank. Leaning over Kiba, he tilts his head to one side, "Say that again?"

Kiba pauses a moment before actually moving to open his mouth to repeat the disastrous thing he said earlier. Half the gym class leans forward expectantly and holds their breath, waiting to see if Kiba really will say it again.

Next to me, Shino signs, sounding more annoyed then anything else.

"I wouldn't"

It kind of surprises me to hear Sasuke speak. He's sitting a little ways away from the rest of us. He pulled all of his black-blue hair away from his face with a white bandana and was curled up inside a fully black tracksuit. His light skin contrasted sharply against the black and made him look almost whiter than white. His hands were tucked diplomatically in his lap and he was eyeing Kakashi-Sensei and looking somewhat amused.

Kiba, glad for the distraction, turned to Sasuke, "You wouldn't what?"

Sasuke smirks and gives Kiba a look over his shoulder, "Gaara's got a pretty bad temper. You shouldn't start fights with people you've already made the mistake of underestimating"

Kiba opened his mouth to retort but Shika lazily yawned and cut in, "I hate to say this but he's totally right"

I turn to look at Shika. He and Sasuke never agreed on anything, as far as I knew, so Sasuke must be more then right if Shika concurred with him.

Shika surveyed the sky with a bored expression, "Don't look at me like that, he's right. There's nothing else to it"

Kiba snorts and seems to regain some measure of confidence, "So what? I was wrestling champion three years in a row and-"

He was cut off when Shika waved his hand dismissively in his direction, "Who cares it's not like I reserve space in my head to remember useless information like that"

Our gym class erupted in laughter and Kiba, embarrassed, finally calms down. It was around that time that Kakashi-Sensei wandered back to us. Absently scratching the back of his head, he pulled a little orange pervert book from his pocket and grinned at us, "Ready?"

Lunch

I was kinda stunned, I guess. I couldn't believe what had just happened in gym class. Next to me at our usual round lunch table, Shika frowned at his plate and across from me, Gaara munched obliviously on a mouthful of poutine.

I'd asked Shino to come and sit with us but he politely refused and disappeared on us.

Shika was fuming because he'd been a team captain, like usual, and his team had lost. I didn't think that Shika was big on actually winning, but he'd actually been mad because Kiba had been on his team and had fouled so many times that it'd given the other team, which Shino had been captain of, the advantage of leading the entire game.

Now he was massively pickled off…

Gaara, for his part, remained eerily quiet, as usual. The only thing that even showed that he'd been annoyed about losing was when we'd been in the locker room and he'd 'accidentally' (or so he says) pushed Kiba into Zabuza on his way out. After that, he'd gone back to pretending that he wasn't constantly thinking up evil ways to make people suffer.

I'd been on the winning team but I guess I was the number one enemy because of it too. Shika had glared bloody murder at me when we'd been coming in from the field and had grudgingly apologized later, saying that he'd been too pissed off to notice whoever might have been on the receiving end of the it.

Anyway, so we're all sitting there, pretending Shika isn't burning a hole thru the table, when Sasuke's cell rings. I'd almost forgotten that I even had it.

I cautiously pull it out from my pocket. Gaara and Shika are both giving me the curious eye, so I shove it away and grin.

Of course, the damn thing keeps ringing and the longer it does, the guiltier I look. Eventually, it stops and Shika slowly pushes his plate aside, "I didn't know you had a cell"

I smile innocently, or try to, "I don't"

Gaara blinks slowly at Shika and me before resuming his lunch with a mildly progressive expression.

Shika raises and eyebrow at me, "Is it even yours?"

I laugh nervously and Gaara gives me a vaguely sympathetic look. I can tell that he sees that being questioned by Shika, especially when he's in this wonderful mood, is like being a baby sea turtle on your back in the hot afternoon sun.

Somehow, Gaara also has the good grace to save my skin, "Shouldn't you be finishing your math quiz?"

The way he narrows his eyes when he tells me lets me know that I owe him, but it's okay. He just game me the way out that I needed.

Grinning, I stand from out table, "Thanks for reminding me…I'll catch up to you later"

I'm gone so fast; several heads in the cafeteria are still spinning two minutes after I'm gone.

Now, I'm wandering around, trying to find the guy this phone belongs to.

I wasn't especially looking hard for Sasuke. I just felt bad about still having his phone. Itachi had called once already and I hadn't answered. I couldn't back out of returning it myself since I bothered Hinata into getting it back for me. It would be a waste of effort not to give it back like I'd said I would.

I head straight for the stairwells, seeing as how Sasuke was hiding in one last time. I'm not nearly as lucky this time since he's nowhere around. On my way up, one of the art teachers I know stops me, "Would you mind taking these to my room? I have someone waiting to use them"

I pause before accepting the broad, flat bag and heading up again. Since I'm so curious, I wait till I've left her behind two floors and peek into the brown, non-descript bag. It doesn't surprise me to see that they are art supplies but it does surprise me that they are pastels and probably have the largest range of color I've seen in a while. I don't even think that where I work carries this set.

Her room is on the top floor in the Art's building, so you just head across from the red building through the special hallway. It's a really cool hallway because it serves to connect individual buildings together. They have windows and you can see all the people hanging out in the field and watch the cars passing by on the street below you.

Once inside the Art building, I head where I'm supposed to and find Shino using pastels to draw on a really big canvas. I knock politely and wait form him to notice me.

Shino's wearing shades, even though it's not that bright indoors, and a headband that makes his black hair stick up and out. He's also hiding away in a massive gray sweater but makes up for it by wearing white capris. Right now he's barefoot, but I figure he just left his shoes somewhere.

Glancing up at me, he motions for me to come closer, before moving back to his canvas. His fingers are smudged with the pastel colors

Taking his permission to come in, I walk over and stand just next to him. Peeking at the canvas, I can see that he's doing landscape. It's more interesting then usual because it literally looks like the moon rising out of some kind of cavern and as it does stars start breaking out in the still orange and pink sky. It looks pretty good considered the materials that he's using. Pastels irritate me because I haven't figured out how to use them without it getting all over the place

Cocking his head to the side inquisitively, he turns slightly to me, his eyes on the canvas, "Balance?"

Raising an eyebrow, I answer, "Huh?"

He frowns behind his shades and uncrosses his legs, "Does it lack balance?"

Before I answer that it does, I give the landscape a real, critic's once-over. At first glace, it might seem to be, although, looking at it seriously, you can kind of see how the stars are slightly off kilter. As you keep looking, you realize that everything is slightly off to the side to being where it should.

Smiling, I set the bag down next to him, "Mostly"

He smiles too, "Good"

Turning to really look at me, the guy with the shades gives me the eye. After a minute, he reaches out to tweak a bit of my hair, "Uzumaki?"

Surprised, I nod.

He smiles very slightly, the way the Queen of England does if you say something impolite and hurry to apologize and manage to look like a doofus while your at it, and points to himself, "Shino"

This makes me take a closer second look. Now that I think about it, I knew Shino from before. He transferred here before but went back before the start of grades nine. I have to say though, that the Shino I remember used to be more of a shadow-you-didn't-usually-notice then a guy-who-seemed-ready-to-tackle-life. If you look closer though you notice specific things. Like that fact that he did always used to wear massive jackets in almost any weather and that he usually hid his face behind a pair of shades.

Come to think of it, I even think that he might be in my English class. The only reason I didn't see him is because he hides in the back.

I also realize that I've been gone nearly twenty minutes and still hadn't found Sasuke. At this rate, there was no point. Maybe I'd track him down after school. It wasn't like I had any plans anyway.

Shino puts his hands in his pockets and shrugs, "You still draw?"

Nodding absently, I glance at the clock hanging about the doors.

Undeterred, he keeps a steady eye on me, "Are you going to join an art club?"

I pause and actually think the question over. I never joined any art clubs before, not even when I first figured out that I could draw back in junior high. The idea of a teacher telling you what to and what not to draw had dissolved any desire I might have ever had to join anything. I kind of liked the idea of being able to teach myself, even if my techniques lacked a real experts touch.

I could live with never being perfect

Shino interrupted my thoughts, "Think about it. I'm sure you need to leave now"

He was right, since the bell was going to ring in less then five minutes and my next class, Chem., was all the way across in the yellow building. Saying a lightening fast goodbye, I practically run out the door and take off down the hall. Before I get too far, I head back and peek around the corner. Shino is looking out the window with a disinterred air and looks up when he hears me come back.

Grinning, I wave again, "I'll think about it"

Shino raises an eyebrow and gives me a mildly amused look.

I kind of regretted going back just to tell him that because I was almost, painfully late for Chemistry, but I figure that it was worth it

Chemistry…

Haku isn't here today because he went on some kind of leadership training program. On top of being an excellent student and a peer supervisor, he's also the Student President. I always thought that that was a bit much, even for someone as full of energy and capable as Haku, but I know he's still as normal as everyone else.

He has off days too.

So, anyway, I'm stuck with Shika. Usually, that isn't such a bad thing, but today, he's massively pissed off and I value my life so I'd rather leave him alone about it. We may be friends but Shika isn't a need-a-shoulder-to-cry-on-kind-of-guy. He'd be liable to shoot me instead of accepting my sympathy for the safe, non-threatening thing it really is.

One very important thing to know about Shika is that he likes to take acre of others but he doesn't like to be taken care of. It's just his thing. As class goes on though, I'm starting to worry that he's a bit grouchier then usual.

I rip a piece of lined paper out of my lab book, which could actually get me in majordomo trouble, and write a short note: 'What's wrong?'

Shika reads the note when I pass it to him, and scribbles something down before tossing it back. He writes: 'Did you know that some people see things that are and ask, why? Other people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people (like me, if you didn't know that already) have better things to do and don't have time for all that'

The king of sarcasm has spoken…

Rolling my eyes, I try again: 'Yeah, and dogs have owners while cats have staff, so what? What's you're problem?'

Shika actually smirks when he reads what I wrote. He glances up at me long enough to grin before writing something else down. When I get it back, it reads: 'You're a big pain in the ass. Your positive attitude may solve all your problems but it won't solve mine. It does annoy enough me enough to make it worth the effort though. And Ps, nothings wrong'

What the hell does that even mean? I grin anyway, cause it seems like he's semi back to normal. We're halfway thru a mini-unit on Taxonomy. It's all this crap about classifying animals in things like Kingdoms and Phylums and stuff. It's mostly boring stuff compared to what we'd been doing last week on the heart and the circulatory system…

Shika shoves my textbook off my desk and nearly gets me eaten alive by my chem. teacher but he's smiling in an oddly not-mad-at-the-world-anymore kind of way.

English…or not

I've never been any good at English and really I never saw the point of taking the class. The problem is that no one ever mentioned that to the adults. So, I'm torn between actually going, which I don't really wanna do, or skipping, which is only possible because Haku isn't here today to nag and get me to go. But then again, skipping is only possible when there's no one around to give you a blast of shit for doing it…

And anyway, I was never big on following rules others people set. I hate that whole my-way-or-the-high-way attitude my English teacher has too. Glancing back down the emptying hall, I decide that I'd rather take my chances with whatever might be lurking in the outdoors, and I'm sure that it can't be nearly as bad as what I know is lurking in my English class right this second.

Heading out, I go straight for the parking lot. There are police around sometimes, just to supervise, but if they catch you then you end up having to go back to class. It happened to me once before and I was treated like a deserter that had escaped from my correctional facility. I learned my lesson about not getting caught.

The sun's been warming up all day and I feel the heat hit my back and cling to my skin the second I get out past the big blue doors. It kind of feels like when your giving someone a piggy-back ride and they're strangling you…I pull off my sweater to try and lessen the time it will take to cook me alive in the sudden afternoon heat.

It's pretty easy to sneak past anyone who might be hanging around if you go out through the parking lot simply 'cause they might spot you, but they'll never catch you. There are too many places to hide. So it kinda surprises me to see some guy sitting, out in plain view, on the trunk part of a car. Getting closer, I realize that the car is a black BMW and that the guy sitting on it is someone I know fairly well…regretfully.

Sasuke is facing away from me and sitting plainly in the sun. I don't know how he stands it, but he's sitting stock still…and silently too. From what I can see, he looks bummed. Cautiously, I walk around to face him.

He's hair's windswept like and all in his eyes. He's wearing this cute red shirt that has this little Nintendo mushroom on it. His legs, in white capris, are spread out and his feet, in black beach sandals, and resting on the bumper of his car. The only things I find unusual are the heavy studded wristbands he's wearing. Sasuke isn't much for punk stuff…that's more Gaara's thing.

Somehow, he doesn't seem to have noticed me and is staring vaguely at a pack of cigarettes he's holding onto in his right hand. I never pegged him as a smoker, but it wouldn't have surprised me if he were. Not because popular people have this annoying way of picking up on crappy fads but more because he happens to be such a tyrant anyway…he just does things 'cause he can.

I grin at the prospect of bothering him, "I didn't know coffin nails were a daily part of your movie star diet"

Sasuke looks up at me a bit listlessly but seems to wake up a bit when he recognizes whom he's not currently talking to. For an electrifying minute, he looks hard at me, as if trying to decide whether or not he wants to answer me at all or go back to looking like the living dead.

I feel my smile slowly fade from my face and let a more neutral expression settle over me. I'd rather he didn't know that he was scaring the baby Jesus outta. I stand passively as Dracula continues to give me the critical eye. After a moment, Sasuke looks away from me suddenly and his hair falls into his face. Quietly, he answers, "I bought them for Aniki"

I raise an eyebrow, surprised, "Itachi smokes?"

Sasuke smirks a bit, "When he's mad he does whatever he wants"

I fidget with my sweater, "He gets mad?"

Sasuke looks at me curiously and smiles enigmatically, but a touch sardonically, "Doesn't everyone?"

I shrug and quietly to move to sit next to him. I expected him to say something cheeky but he just moves over so I can climb on too. I stare at the sea of cars ahead of us, "You pissed him off?"

Sasuke clucks his tongue, "I'm the only one who knows how…"

I bite my lip, "You do it on purpose?"

Sasuke laughs bitterly, "Of course I did"

We both fall silent.

Trying to change the subject, I start counting the number of red cars in my head, "How did you get the cancer sticks anyway?"

Sasuke shifts next to me, "Anyone can look older if they want to…you just kind of have to be confident"

I scoff, "Or have fake ID and a set of balls made of steel"

Sasuke laughs lightly and it irritates me to find that I like the sound. Sasuke reaches to push the hair of his face, "Hey…"

I turn towards him, momentarily forgetting the number of red cars, "…yeah?"

He kind of frowns at me, hesitates, and decides to tell me anyway: "I'm done…you want to leave?"

I let myself smile a bit, "Classes cancelled?"

Sasuke smirks, a bit of his typical-self shinning thru, "No…I just decided I was done"

Laughing, I let myself grin fully, "I was going' anyway"

Sasuke makes an approving sound, "Then we're gone already"

He slides off the car and I follow.

It's not till we're both sitting in the car and actually leaving that I remember that being alone with Sasuke is potentially dangerous. As if he were thinking the same thing, Sasuke asks me, "Where's Neji?"

He sounds offhand and casual but he knows the score as well as I do. I chance a grin, "I don't know"

Sasuke flips on the air conditioning, "Shouldn't you?"

The way he says it makes me stick my tongue out at him, "I trust him…WHEREEVER he is"

Sasuke smirks, "Lucky him"

Sasuke seems to be getting back to his old self and he's being a royal pain. I kind of like that he's more or less playing it cool but that doesn't mean that it's not getting on my nerves. Absently trying to find myself an occupation that will get me off this subject, I poke Sasuke in the ribs, "Any CD's in here?"

Sasuke motions vaguely to the CD compartment thing that's built right into the car. Pulling it open, I scan the multitude of CDs until I find something weird to listen to. I've never heard of the Gorillaz but the cover is cartoon characters, so why not?

Sasuke doesn't seem to mind my choice of music and we sit in companionable silence. Sasuke heads downtown and I don't protest. I dunno where we're going but I'm sure I'll be okay.

We pass by classy restaurants with Maitre D's and museum like shop windows showcasing art. I see a café, all done up Paris-le-petit-matin style and a bakery that looks right out off a street in Italy. The further we go, the more I realize how little I know of this part of Boston.

When Sasuke does stop, it's in a more quiet area. It's kind off from the main street we were on and the most significant building I can see in the little strip-mall is an old-school theater.

Sasuke parks and systematically starts to turn off the air conditioning. When he's done, he sighs and glances over at me, "Coming?"

I shrug, "Where?"

Sasuke smiles a little and points towards the theater, "There"

Raising both eyebrows in a surprised kind of way, I nod, "Sure…as long as it's not actually been abandoned for eighty years and your just going to drag me inside and…"

I was gonna say 'rape me' but somehow it bothers me to apply that idea to Sasuke. He may be a little on the bold side…and he does take liberties with me sometimes…but he's not actually that bad.

Sasuke looks at me intently. Cracking a smile, I finish, "…murder me or something"

His eyes narrow but he's smiling, kind of. Instead of saying anything to me, he gets out of the car. I pause to toss my backpack into the back seat before getting out to chase after him since he's half away there when I get out. Before we go in, Sasuke absently turns to lock the car's doors with this special key thing he has.

I can't help but grin…he's such a show off…

The inside lobby is dark but in an appealing sort of way. The lighting in here has this 70's-at-the-movies feel to it. The lamps are all Tiffany-types with funny embroidered shades. The carpet is a deep red and there are real wooden banisters leading up to other venues. The ticket booth is this massive mahogany colored desk at the far end of the entrance.

Sasuke heads straight up one of the stairways without going to the booth. I stare after him until he notices that I'm not coming. Raising an eyebrow at me, he motions for me to follow. Hesitating, I go after him.

Don't you have to pay for tickets before you go into a movie?

It finally occurs to me that the place is actually deserted. It's like a ghost theater. Shuddering, I catch up to Sasuke and distractedly take a hold of his shirttail. Seems to be a bad habit of mine…

The stairs take us up to this venue where there are two doors on either side of the long, red-carpeted, hallway. Sasuke glances in both directions before heading towards the left. There are these posters lining the walls but they're all up in frames. They're all older movies, some I've never heard of.

Reaching the end of the hall, Sasuke pushes thru the huge wooden double doors. We stand in the near dark for a moment, before Sasuke heads up towards the only place light can be seen…this tiny office like space at the back of the place.

Inside the office, it surprises me to see someone working steadily on filling paperwork. The man is taller then even Zabuza…who is probably the tallest guy I know. His face is all sharp angles with high cheeks and sharp eyes that are a bit slanted. One of his ears is pierced and his black hair sticks straight up in pointed spikes. He's wearing dress pants and a sleeveless turtleneck that show off arms that look like corded muscle.

He looks up when we come in, and smiles the way a shark might when it's amused, "Sasuke"

Sasuke doesn't stop to greet the man until he plops down in the leather sofa in the corner of the office, me following closely like a little lost puppy, "Itachi asked if you'd come for dinner"

The man raises a slim eyebrow, "He doesn't have work?"

Sasuke shrugs, "I pissed him off…he's taking an impromptu day off"

The man laughs, the sound not unlike Itachi's, rippling and dangerous, "You should be more careful"

Sasuke tosses the pack of cigarettes at the man, who deftly catches them and scowls, "Give those to him, alright Kisame?"

Kisame's scowl deepens, "You shouldn't buy him these"

Sasuke shrugs.

Kisame looks contemplatively at the cigarettes, "You know, cigarette sales would drop to zero over night if the warning said these things contained fat…"

Sasuke shrugs and I half laugh but stop myself by just grinning when Kisame smirks at me.

Sasuke shifts, "Itachi would still smoke them"

Kisame's grin is feral, "You Uchiha seem to look for trouble…it doesn't even need to get up and find you"

Sasuke half-smiles, "Coming from the guy who's best friends with MY brother"

Kisame shrugs offhandedly, "We're not friends"

Sasuke absently tugs on my shirt, "What do you call hanging out together for the past six years?"

Kisame grins, "Bad luck"

Sasuke doesn't laugh, but kind of grins. It's the closest I've ever seen him to making so honest an expression. Whoever this Kisame guy is, he gets points for being funny…or at least he is to Sasuke.

Kisame pauses, "A friend is someone who knows all about you, and still likes you"

Sasuke nods, "Being Itachi's friend is more of a near death experience then anything else"

Kisame smirks, "And being his brother?"

Sasuke smirks back, "Makes me a masochist"

Apparently Kisame finds that funny because he laughs.

After a moment, Kisame gives me the eye, "You are?"

I open my mouth to answer and Sasuke cuts in, as per usual, "A friend"

Kisame laughs darkly, "So YOUR this elusive friend of Sasuke's that I've heard so much about"

I know I must have looked surprised because Kisame laughs again and elaborates, "Itachi-San told me about you"

Sasuke pulls a face at Kisame, who only shrugs in return. Finally thinking of something constructive to say, I sit up, "You should probably go, Kisame-San, and Sasuke and I were gonna leave anyway…"

Back in the car, Sasuke watches me disinterestedly as I debate with myself on whether or not I should invite him back to my place.

I've concluded that Sasuke has no intention of going home tonight, especially since he refused to go back with Kisame when the tall, tanned man had asked. I also realized that he was depressed to the point of being mellow. I knew that he and Itachi had this really screwed up type of relationship but what I hadn't taken into account was the fact that he might actually still kind of care about his brother and it seemed to be the same for Itachi.

Maybe they both just needed a day off from each other?

Starring out the window at the setting sun, I flatten a hand against the window, "Ne, Sasuke…"

I hear him move behind me, the creak of the leather as he shifts, "What, usurakontachi?"

I manage not to blow up only because I detect a note of fondness in his voice. I may not like the nickname but I guess I should recognize it for what it is. Sasuke isn't as gentle a person as Neji but that doesn't make him a monster.

Pretending to be annoyed, I glare at him over my shoulder, "Call me that again, Dracula, and you'll wish you hadn't ever met me"

Sasuke raises an eyebrow, amused, "What makes you think that there's anything you could do that would make me regret having met you?"

Caught off guard, I pull a face at him instead of trying to find something witty to say back.

Gimme a break…I'm tired.

Sighing, I look him in that face, "Kay, Mister 'I-stir-shit-up-for-a-living', you wanna drive me home?"

Sasuke pauses, maybe at what I said about him, before shrugging and starting that car, "Fine, but I don't know where you live"

I've never been ashamed of where I live. Especially because Shika was the one who got me the place. Imagine how hard that actually is, considering that I don't even have parents or a legal guardian. Having my own place meant being an independent in a world where having a little help is a necessity.

You can tell right off the bat that Sasuke's never been outside of the main part of Boston.

He usually drives at break neck speed and flips corners as easily as anyone can flip the finger, but now he's driving slow as molasses. Not criticizing or anything like that, he's just kind of looking.

Amused, I grin and start pointing out places I can remember hanging out with my friends.

Sasuke listens attentively and actually asks questions. It's weird, this side of Sasuke. He's letting ME take charge when he's usually the one who has all the control. For a minute, I stop to think of what a relationship with Sasuke might be like.

Before that train of thought even gets started, I think of Neji.

Sasuke might be pretty cute…by why worry about it if I'm already attached? It kind of worries me that I keep thinking about it. Shouldn't I be secure with just knowing that I have Neji?

However, I also realize that that's exactly the problem. It still surprises me that everything is working out that way it is. These kinds of things, like relationships with the guy of your dreams, they never work out. Or maybe they do, and I'm just being negative?

I smile ruefully, pausing halfway thru an explanation to Sasuke about the time Shika half buried Haku and me alive under a snowdrift near my place last winter. Maybe that's just the thing: things this good never happen to people like me…and when they do, they just end badly.

Sasuke looks at me, curious of my lapse into silence but ignoring it, "We almost there?"

I realize that we are and point out to him where the underground parking is. Reaching for my stuff in the back, I pull on my sweater and loop my backpack loosely around my shoulders. When he parks, I pull the keys out of the ignition and practically jump out of the car.

Sasuke follows me, looking annoyed.

I pause and wait for him near the elevator, "Wanna come up for a bit?"

Sasuke stops dead, maybe about two feet from me and shakes his head, "I don't think that's a good idea"

I know what he means and in a way I think it's not such a hot idea either, but you know, he's looks so bummed, "Just for a bit"

He looks at me with an expression that I can't identify. After a moment, he smiles ever so slightly and moves to push the button for the elevator, "Just for a bit"

"Usurakontachi, you're a freakin' clutter-bug"

I laugh and sit Sasuke down on the suede couch. I can see what he means. Even though Neji helped me clean up this morning, all my arts stuff was still hanging around. My paint cans are all grouped in a corner along with my spare canvases and my notebooks and my finished work is still drying all over the place near the open bay window.

Turning to Sasuke, I shrug, smiling, "Can't help it"

He raises a disbelieving eyebrow at me.

Laughing still, I leave him while I go make hot chocolate, which is what I feel like drinking.

When I wander back, Sasuke's sitting on the floor near the bay window examining some of the finished paintings drying there. Setting his mug down next to him, I plop down on the couch. I may want to comfort Sasuke, but I've come to the understanding that there's something between us already, and sitting close isn't the best thing I could do in this situation.

He looks young, bent over and examining the stuff I have laid out. One hand is holding his bangs back, out of his eyes, and the other is holding the sheets up towards the light. His black eyes trace the contours of the art itself and his mouth twists into an almost appreciative smile. Absently, he picks up the mug and sips at it, his eyes never leaving the paintings, "You did these?"

I pick one of the marshmallows out of my chocolate and eat it, "Most of them, some are collabs"

Sasuke pauses, and pulls one in particular out from the done-drying pile. Would you believe it as the one I'd did with Neji?

Turning to face me, the smoothes down the paper and traces one of the thin black birds with a finger, "This one's nice"

There's no mistaking the strange note in his voice, but I pretend I didn't hear it. I'm sure he can plainly see where I wrote Neji's name and my name on our respective sides of the canvas.

I grin faintly, not able to pull off quite the smile I wanted to, "It's kind of my favorite too"

We lapse into another one of our weird silences.

Getting annoyed with myself, I motion to Sasuke, "Come here"

Sasuke looks up sharply at the note of anger in my voice. His being surprised doesn't surprise me; I feel like I could murder.

He obliges without so much as a protest and plops down next to me. Impatiently, I take his half finished mug from him and set it down on the floor next to mine. Turning to him, I wrap my arms around his waist and melt into him, "Would you please go back to being sarcastic and irritating? You suck when you're bummed"

I felt Sasuke tense when I first touched him, but now he slowly put his arms around me, but didn't reply. Instead, he kind of laughed.

God, this is so weird…

Pulling away slightly, I look him in the eyes, "What happened with Itachi?"

Sasuke plasters on a neutral expression, "We had a fight" He's trying to sound nonchalant but he comes off as a little tentative

I reach down and hand him back his mug. It doesn't go unnoticed, the way his hands reflexively tighten around it. I take another second to grab my own cup and stare into it, "What kind of fight?"

In answer, Sasuke holds out one of his hands, offering me his wristband covered wrist. The other hand is tightly wrapped, still, around his mug.

Biting the inside of my lip, I reach out and pop the wristband off. Deep, dark bluish-purple bruises, like fingerprints, are wrapped cleanly around his wrist. They are huge, as if the grip had been purposefully forceful.

I try to line up all the finger marks using my own hand, but I'm a bit smaller. Sasuke's skin is cool and already the bruising is turning a sickly yellowish, green around the blue-purple.

Not saying anything, I put the wristband back on.

I don't bother asking who won, because it doesn't matter.

I don't ask whether or not Sasuke feels all right, because I know he doesn't.

And there's really no point in asking him exactly what happened because I practically had to cuddle him to get this little bit out of him.

So now what?

Before I can open my mouth and say something unnecessary, my phone rings. Sasuke looks at me and I smile apologetically before going to pick up the cordless in the kitchen.

I answer while wandering back to collapse on the couch next to Sasuke, "Hello?"

"Did you skip fourth?"

I grin, "No, Neji, I didn't actually skip fourth"

"Did you leave early?"

I laugh, "Maybe…why you so worried anyway?"

Neji huffs: "I wasn't"

I sip my chocolate, "Your crap at pretending you weren't"

"…"

I laugh and witch hands and ears, "I didn't see you after lunch so…"

"Hinata had an appointment"

I raise an eyebrow at no one in particular, "You're the cousin AND the chauffeur?"

Neji laughs: "Possibly even the babysitter"

"I hope they pay you"

Neji laughs again, which is shocking enough, before asking me: "Busy Sunday?"

I frown at my empty mug, "No…but I'm not a doing-stuff-when-I-could-be-sleeping kind of guy…unless whatever your planning is mucho fun and I won't hate you for depriving me of my sleep?"

Neji pauses, pretends to think about it: "I suppose you might like it…or you might not"

I grin, "Aren't you gonna tell me what it is?"

Neji scoffs: "Why should I?"

I pout at him, "Fine, be that way, but it is possible for a person to keel over and die of boredom"

Neji hmms: "You won't get bored…promise"

I smile, "Fine, see you Sunday"

After I hang up, I look up to see Sasuke giving me an odd look.

Sticking my tongue out at him, I check to see if his mug's as empty as mine, "Yes, Dolce & Gabbana, that was my boyfriend"

Sasuke smirks at the nickname, "Do I look like I care?"

I smirk back, "I dunno, that look just now bordered on jealous"

Sasuke abruptly stands and wanders off into my kitchen.

I sigh.

I should know better then to tease Sasuke when he's so cranky. Rolling my eyes, I set off after Dracula.

When I peek into my kitchen, he's standing at the sink. Walking to stand next to him, I raise an eyebrow at his curiously baffled expression.

Turning his head in my direction but keeping his eyes on the sink, Sasuke decides to let me on his discovery, "You have no dishwasher"

I grin, "Not everyone has one, Sasuke"

He gives me the eye.

I raise my hands defensively, "What?"

Sasuke absently picks up my orange sponge, "I'll get you one for Christmas"

I don't know if it was the serious tone of his voice or the fact that he was so appalled at my not having a dishwasher, but I started to laugh and almost couldn't stop. I mean, who SAYS that?

Sasuke is looking kind of nasty when I stop laughing. Maybe I should've invested in some medieval armor. Sasuke's glaring makes my skin feel like it's burning…

Turning to sit on the countertop next to the sink, I give Sasuke an apologetic look, "Chill…it was just kind of funny"

Sasuke slowly washes his mug, "How?"

I raise both eyebrows at him, "Maybe humor was the one thing you weren't born with…good sense either"

Sasuke glares at me till I turn my face away.

Laughing, I stare at the low ceiling instead of at him, "God did bless you with laser beam eyes, though"

Sasuke growls at me, "Shut up now or I'll dye your hair pink in your sleep"

I turn to give him a wide-eyed look, "Who said you were sleeping over?"

Sasuke smirks, "No one, I'm just not leaving"

I puff my cheeks out at him, "Loser"

Sasuke shrugs, "Moron"

"Diva"

"Cactus head"

"…Prick"

Sasuke laughs, "If you have to resort to language like that, then I'm obviously the winner"

I narrow my eyes, "Says who?"

Sasuke rinses the mug and puts it on the drying rack, "Anyone with an education that speaks English"

I turn my nose up at him, "Whatever…I'm taking a shower"

Bouncing off the counter top, I half run down the hall and into the bathroom. I slam the door shut just for show and lock it just for my own peace of mind.

I knew I told him that he was no fun when he was bummed, but did that mean he had to completely come back to normal?

I strip carelessly, tossing clothes haphazardly for the bin in the corner and stare hard at myself in the mirror for a minute.

What stares back is a short guy, with shocking blond hair and big blue eyes. I scowl at myself to make my face agree with my mood.

If I was a bit thinner and had hair that was a little longer, you night mistake me for a girl.

I was a short guy for seventeen.

Hopefully, I was gonna fill out. If not, then I'd get a boob job done and live the rest of my life as a drag queen.

The idea makes me burst into laughter and turn on the shower.

If I have time for crazy, useless thoughts like that then it means that I still haven't figured how to get my brain to function properly.

When I dare to venture out of the bathroom, the kitchen is empty and Sasuke is nowhere to be seen.

Nervously, I head for my room. Slowly pushing open the door reveals Sasuke propped up on my bed and reading one of the zillions of manga I have lying around.

He changed, without my permission, out of his Abercrombie and Finch getup into a pair of my oversized sweats and not much else, save the black bandana he's using to keep hair out of his face.

He pretends not to hear me come in.

Trying not to stare too much at a too naked Sasuke, I slam the door shut. Sasuke looks up long enough to give me a slightly patronizing look.

I grin, "What?"

He shakes his head at me and goes back to reading.

Shrugging to myself, I head over to my drawer and pull on an oversized t-shirt. I'm wearing shorts but I can't bring myself to pull on anything longer. It's kinda warm in my place.

Just cause Sasuke is a weirdo whose blood is always the right temperature doesn't mean I have to do the same and wear sweats too. What kind of crazy person wears 100 cotton in this heat?

Speaking of weirdoes, what IS he doing in my bed?

Since the phenomenon is so puzzling, I decide to ask the anomaly for the answer: "What ARE you doing in my bed?"

Sasuke shrugs, "Where else would I sleep?"

I roll my eyes at him, "I dunno, on the couch maybe? Or better yet, in your OWN bed back at your place?"

Sasuke actually laughs, "Sorry, you're stuck with me and I'm staying right here"

I purse my lips and try to look a little more irritated then I currently feel. He's such a queen that I kind of expected him to say something like that. The real problem comes from the fact that I'm not actually worried about it.

Grinning suddenly, I run and jump into my bed, next to Sasuke, and kick up the sheets and the pillows. When everything settles, Sasuke is giving me the mother of all glares.

Shrugging at him, I snuggle down and bury my face in my orange pillow, "Night, Dracula"

There's a moment of silence before Sasuke answers, "Night, usurakontachi"

After another moment, I pester him into turning off the light and going to sleep instead of reading that crazy manga.

For a while, we both just lie there listening to each other breath.

I'm facing away from him, so that I don't have to visually remind myself that a shirtless Sasuke is lying in my bed next to me, and he's doing the same, although I'm hoping it's to stop him from touching me.

I have to say that I'm proud of him though; he hasn't molested me once today.

I start when a warm hand flattens itself against my back, only long enough to get my attention, before it slips off, "You asleep?"

I laugh quietly, "And I thought I was the King of rhetorical questions…"

Sasuke ignores my less then genius pillow talk, "…thanks for today"

I stare at the ceiling, "Thanks for what? Not being a quarter of my usual annoying self? Or thanks for putting up with you all afternoon?"

Sasuke rolls over and looks at me. His dark eyes are way spooky, what with the faint light coming from the hall light shinning off them, but there's a touch of warmth in them that makes me smile a bit.

Rolling back over and facing away from me, he answers, "Both"

I stare at his back for a second, disbelieving, before turning back to stare at the ceiling. I muse out loud, "And the explorer concluded that not all planets he reached were dead"

Sasuke snorts into his pillow, "No, just barren"

Laughing, I shove him in the back and grin at the way my fingertips tingle when I touch his surprisingly warm skin.

I roll over myself and shut my eyes, "I take it back. Dracula is a crappy nickname"

"Why?" Sasuke sounds sleepy.

I yawn, "Your not old, wrinkly, cold, OR undead…"

Sasuke fails to sound nearly as sarcastic as normal, "Says who?"

I grin and yawn again, "Wouldn't you like to know…"

Sasuke doesn't answer because he's already asleep.

Ebra: I know it was a very random chapter but it was fun to write. Hopefully, I can finish the next chapter sooner rather then later -- I won't make promises 'cause I'm sure people have noticed that I'm crap at keeping them.

PS- No one ask about that stuff with Kisame…I don't know what the point of it was myself…

Jane!


	7. Sitcom Duck Central

_Ebra's Notes_

First thing to mention: Yes, **FiggieCantata**, a hug for guessing at my living in Boston because I DO… right now anyway! Although it must be noted that I was born in Canada Smiles

To make a long story short though, my family and me 'lived' in Canada. However, during this summer, my parental units split. So, mom lives in Boston and Dad lives in Albany just outside New York. My oldest brother skipped out to get married in Georgia, near Atlanta and me and my twin brother bounce between mom and dad during holidays. That's part of the reason it takes me eighty years to update, I'm always bouncing from place to place. My families sorta eclectic so they live all across the U.S. For school, though, I'm in Boston

Second: **goingcommando**, sorry about the spelling errors. I'll get a BETA sooner or later…I hope** --**

Lastly: **Gaara warning!** I set him kinda loose in this chapter cause he talks a lot more then normal and acts pretty scary near the end of the chapter so you've all been warned. Also, thanks in advance for the reviews Also, I apologize since the chapter is a tiny bit shorter then usual.

**Sitcom duck(s): are People/Person(s) that sit around in a certain area and simply crowd your place/hang out/do nothing/or imitate ducks by crapping around all over the place and generally being bothersome** Although this isn't a real definition, it's what I call the friends of mine that drop by to visit and do exactly that **99**

**'Purple Cocaine Prison' **

**Sitcom Duck Central, a.k.a. My Place !**

****

**Naruto **

**Saturday/In bed…still**

It's bad enough that a guy is stupid enough to let Sasuke crawl into bed with him, but shouldn't that same stupid guy draw the line at morning cuddles?

Sure, Sasuke started out on his side of my bed but the problem stems from the fact that he, somehow, ended up on mine. Trapped as I am, his head pillowed on my chest and his arm lying heavily across my stomach, I take a minute to reflect: This could always be worse.

I also realize that Sasuke has that massive bed back at his place for a reason. If you have never seen Sasuke sleeping in a bed then you have never truly seen a person sprawl. My bed isn't the biggest thing in the world but that doesn't mean Sasuke has the right to simultaneously conquer the Northern, Southern, Eastern AND Western hemispheres of the tiny Island of Naruto.

God…Who's gonna get me outta under here?

Glancing at my clock, as best I can over Sasuke's messy blue-black hair, I realize two things: it's frighteningly early AND that I have to pee.

See, things can always get worse…

In any normal scenario, I woulda just hopped outta bed, hauled ass to the bathroom, and done what I needed to do. Under the current circumstances, I was going to hafta think of something better then just that. I had my hands full with just trying to figure out how to get out of being Sasuke's personal pillow.

Starring at the ceiling for a few minutes, I start to grin to myself.

Maybe there is a way outta here?

After doing the most extraordinary mattress gymnastics to get out of my own bed, I headed triumphantly to the bathroom. I felt like I had to go _really_ bad, so I suppose that's part of what motivated me. Feeling surprisingly energetic I sprint the short distance down the hall to the bathroom, skidding to a stop on the hardwood floors.

I brush my teeth and have a long shower. Absently, I trace the lines of the tattoo on my stomach and flinch when my stomach starts to hurt. I rub it and try to sooth away the sudden nausea. I sigh when the feeling passes, especially since I know better then to aggravate my belly…

I head back to my bedroom and decide that early spring-cleaning is in order, Sasuke sleeping like sleeping beauty on my bed or not. I don't usually have time during the week, between going to school and working, to clean my place, so Saturday mornings are reserved just for the unique chore of detoxifying the whole space. Who _knows_ what's had time to fester in the fridge left unchecked…or what kind of dirty clothing might be lying at the bottom of my closet…_ugh_. I shudder to think…

Contrary to popular belief, I'm not a messy person; it'd be a blessing if I was…then I wouldn't care either way.

Careful to be quiet, I pull on faded cowboy jeans that are too long and pool around my ankles, which I end up having to roll up, and a yellow tee. I glance around.

_Where_ do I start?

I look at the bed and decide if I wanna face the greatest monsters first, second only to what might be ready for battle in the fridge, then that's probably the best place to start. I spend the next half-hour or so picking clothes out of the _strangest_ places and straightening stuff up. Luckily, Sasuke sleeps like the dead and doesn't even stir when I turn on the radio on low.

That done, next on the list is to pacify my now growling stomach. _Jeez_…try to get anything done and the damn thing acts up. I grumble all the way to the kitchen and set about opening blinds and making breakfast. I love Ramen, but it's not the only thing I eat since it's just a lot of noodles and water…therefore, I only have it twice a day. I know that only leaves breakfast free but... I can't _not_ eat Ramen. It'd probably kill me…

Pancakes seem like a good idea so I make a stack. Six raspberry pancakes covered in sugar, a glass of orange juice and two vitamins later, I feel like I'll make it till I have a late lunch. I do the dishes and absently think of Sasuke. I should probably wake him for breakfast…or not.

Grinning, I laugh at myself.

Who in their right mind would wake Dracula during daylight hours? On Saturday no less?

Besides, Sasuke is definitely the type that sleeps in on any day that's not a weekday. Those pretty boy types are all like that.

Now that that's settled, should I really go and attempt to clean out my fridge? I mean, I'm a brave guy when the situation calls for it, but the depths of the fridge might be a little over my head. I walk over and pull it open. The stuff in the front is okay, but it's the crap hiding in the back that I'm worried about. Plucking up some courage, I push the milk aside and gingerly grab a nondescript plastic container. I roll it over in my hands and shudder at the feeling of _something_ sliding around inside. Oh God… 

Deep breath and I dramatically peel the lid clean off and instantly wish I hadn't. Nasty looking broccoli-cheese whatsit stares back at me. Now I know _why_ it was back there. One, it was from Tsunade-Hag, so it was probably poisoned, and two, I hate broccoli…it's_ gross_. Well, that was only discovery number one; I can see a few other containers waiting back there to surprise me. Right then and there, I figure that I'll do it some other time.

I decide that if I want to live to be eighteen, I'd better stop before I hurt myself. Glancing at the neko-shaped clock in the kitchen tells me it's late enough in the day to risk calling Gaara. I grab the cordless and head into my bedroom to check up on Sasuke. He's sill curled up peacefully, and sleeping. Smiling, I go back to my living and collapse on the red couch. I add Gaara to speed dial and call.

It rings only once before he picks up.

"Took you long enough"

"Excuse me?" Is this Gaara? "What _ever_ happened to saying 'Good Morning?'"

"Hn…I've been up since seven"

"Gaara", I start in the most patronizing voice I can manage, "The teenager is a creature rarely seen up before noon on weekends, everybody knows that"

"…"

"Hey, don't stop now! You were being so talkative…" I pretend to pout but end up laughing.

"Can you come out?"

"Yes, where are we going?"

Gaara pauses before telling me: "I'm getting my eyebrow pierced"

"…Are you serious?"

"…"

I grin and start to laugh, "Are you doing this to piss off your Dad? Cause I can guarantee you it will…probably"

He doesn't answer for a minute, but then he says: "Hn…maybe my lip too" I can practically see him smiling.

"Are you telling me that you'll actually let strangers prod you with needles and things to pierce you and get this permanent thing on your face and in your tongue, just to piss off your dad?"

I can see Gaara rolling his eyes in my mind: "…No, I intended to get them anyway…and it won't be a problem"

"Really?"

"…Truly"

"Kay, well, when are we going?"

"You called me, you decide"

I blow a raspberry over the phone.

"…"

"Sorry…uh, what about right now?"

"Fine" He sounds annoyed

"Course…unless you can't go then we coul-"

He half interrupts me. "It's fine. Do I pick you up or are we meeting somewhere?"

I grin, "You're coming here and then were taking the bus"

"…"

I laugh, "Does the idea of taking a bus really scare you that much?"

Gaara gets drives to and from school as well as to any other place he might wanna go. The bus is like this mythical creature he thinks other people ride. Totally not his thing…

"…"

"I'll be waiting outside so you'll see me when you get here"

"Hn"

"Bye Gaa-Chan"

If he though the little name thing was weird, he doesn't mention it. Besides, he's the one that let's me call him that. "…Ja ne"

I hang up after he does and decide that the man is going to really have to communicate with me more. I mean you have a mouth for talking…not just eating and chewing gum…_really_. Okay, now I have to get properly dressed. If today is going to be anywhere near as fun as it should be, I have to know what to do. I said I'd go but it wasn't like I'd ever been, much less seen, where or how someone gets a piercing.

Since I have money left over from when I got my paycheck on Tuesday, money isn't an issue. The _where_ is what I'm worried about, not the how. I can't really see Gaara as the shopping type really, so I haven't got the faintest clue what were gonna do after he gets his stuff; I don't want him getting bored halfway through.

I rush into my room and pull on army-print pants and a black tee, a black bandana to cover up my hair partially and have to dig around for my favorite studded belt. Pausing, I write Sasuke a quick note and leave it where he'll find it. I grab my keys and jacket from the hall closet and head out the door. I even almost forget to lock the door in my haste to leave. I bolt down the stairs when the elevator takes too long.

Gaara isn't there when I get downstairs, out the lobby, and out to the bus stop, which is normal since he lives in Uptown Boston. The only thing I know about Uptown or Downtown Boston is that Sasuke and Haku also live up there. I wouldn't say that it's where rich people live, but they are pretty cosmopolitan as far as trends and food and all that other stuff. Haku said that it was only on a side note that he should ever mention that it required having money.

That's his polite way of saying that you kinda hafta have money, but only because of the type of lifestyle.

To tell the truth, after having been to Haku's place and Sasuke's place before hand, once or twice, I know that I'm not especially fond of all that glamour and weird food. Somehow, all those things that they consider normal, like modeling their clothes after magazine spreads or eating the latest Mediterranean dish, seem like things I could totally live without.

Why change styles every time society says there's something new you should convert to? Why eat only if it's expensive, foreign cuisine? What's the point of paying tons of money to buy a classy car that, in the end, you only use to get from point A to point B anyway? Where's the practicality in having a butler or two or three if your perfectly capable of doing things on your own? And in the end, does having all that make a person happy?

Because I don't understand these things, I sometimes feel like I can't or shouldn't be able to understand certain people. I can honestly say that I don't understand Sasuke, but I do get along with Haku. As far as Gaara goes, he's totally chill and Neji is someone who doesn't need me to understand him right away and will give me the time to figure him out my own way. But really, the only reason I fuss so much about it, is because I get so damn uncomfortable when I have to go to people's places.

All that…modern society stuff…it's not for me…

Absently, I glance up at the sky and pull a face. Big, blackish thunder-could-looking guys are settling overhead. They are the kind that you know will be pouring out all day and probably come with explosive thunder. Looking down at myself, I realize that it wouldn't matter what I was wearing…the rain would still soak right through.

Checking let's me know that the bus should be here in another ten minutes, give or take. I decide that I'll be able to make it back to get an umbrella.

When I get back upstairs, the answering machine I bought earlier in the week is going off and Sasuke is up.

He meets me in the hall, his hair all ruffled and his dark eyes still full of sleep. Smiling, I usher him into the bathroom and get him to take a shower. It's pleasant how sleepiness makes him docile.

The thick clouds outside make the light inside my place tint gray.

Leaving Sasuke to himself, I head over to my hall closet, open it, and peer in cautiously. Last time I was looking for my umbrella, I ended up finding mice instead. Of course, my place didn't actually have mice…Tsunade-Hag put them there to scare me.

It didn't scare me, by the way…but who wants to see mice in their closet?

Anyway, so I'm digging in there like there is no tomorrow when I hear a slow roll of thunder. I always though that thunder had a cool sound, sort of like a slow wave that crashes hard. If you stand at an open window when it's about to rain then you know what I mean. The air kind of lulls, literally a calm right before the storm, before the sound actually hits and rolls over the sky and across air, literally rumbling.

I kick some old stuff in boxes aside before crouching down to check out the back bottom of the closet. I can hardly see in the near grayish dark that has become both my apartment and also permanently resides in my closets. It occurs to me to turn on the light, but I hear Sasuke calling faintly for me before the thought even properly registers.

Sighing deeply, I half crawl out my closet and run back to the bathroom to find out if Dracula melted in the shower and needs help.

"Sasuke?" Knocking lightly, I wait for a response.

The answer is so long in coming that I almost think that he really might have died in there. After a pause, I hear Sasuke yawn quietly, "I need a towel…please"

Before I turn to leave, I pause to ask, "Wanna borrow some clothes?"

Sasuke doesn't answer right away. Pausing to listen again, he kinda scares the crap outta me when he pulls the bathroom door open a crack suddenly and peers out at me sleepily, "Sure"

His voice is a sleepy murmur.

I would never say this to his face, cause I'm not into getting decked, but he's just too cute for words. The drowsy look he has on his face makes me wonder what kind of bedroom look he must have…of course, I already do know what his bedroom look is…up close and more personal then was necessary…but I still like to pretend that it was some weird dream I had a while ago.

Helps me cope…

He's simply too hot to handle sometimes…which is why I'm gonna get him a change of clothes and that towel before hightailing it outta here.

I need to preserve my sanity…

By the time I make it outside again, the rain is pouring and I've totally missed the bus. My view is completely blurred by the rain. It gives a very surreal feeling. Standing just outside the doors into the lobby, I try hard to see past the sheets of rain falling. At first, I think that I can see a car coming up towards me, white lights flashing dimly thru the rain. I'm not entirely surprised when the unassuming black Mercedes stops sidelong to me; the back door pops open.

Sighing for the hell of it, I crawl in. I should have known that Gaara wouldn't dare ride the bus in the rain anyway.

Gaara is staring almost moodily out the rear window. At first, I dunno what to say, so I stay quiet. I study his habitually dark clothes and wonder what seems so off about him today. The car moves away form the curb and I try to look at the chauffeur of the car but see only the back of the black cap he's wearing.

Gaara turns to look at me finally, and I get my first real look at him. His normally thick panda eyes are a little more thinly drawn, the ends curling up near the corner of his eyes. The catty look is accentuated by the fact that there's blue eye shadow covering both his lids. It's faint, but kinda suggestive. His eyes are the same as always, jade green and impenetrable.

Grinning at him and shrugging my shoulders, I turn to look out the window myself.

Gaara offers my half turned back a half smile before turning back to his own window.

That's the greatest thing about Gaara's friendship: the caring part is required, but not the talking.

We're downtown before we know it and Gaara is pulling off his seatbelt and ushering me out onto the pouring rain before I'm really sure what's going on. I stare, a bit out of place and feeling rushed, as Gaara gives the chauffeur brief instructions. The car pulls away and Gaara holds a black umbrella over our heads, and I realize that, despite the rain, the usual amount of weekend shoppers are walking around.

Standing to look at them, it freaks me out how much they actually look like zombies in raincoats. I mean, it's the way that they're milling about and looking slightly more lost then I feel.

Gaara catches my attention by taking my hand, and leading me off down the crowded sidewalk. The sky is the color of concrete and the ground rumbles with the thunder. Trying to see the good side of things, I tighten my hold on Gaara, "So, Captain, we're setting off at high tide and not lost I hope?"

Gaara doesn't show any indication of having heard my banal comment, but turns long enough to give me an amused look. Silently, he keeps leading me up the street.

We pass by stores that look more and more out of place, as we go further up the street. Soon, Gaara stops, decided, in front of a Tattoo parlor…or at least, that's what I'm assuming it is. The place doesn't look like I would've expected, with fully black windows, no actual display and with only a bright green neon sign blaring the name: Threshold.

Gaara doesn't hesitate to march right in after briefly nodding to himself.

Inside, the lighting is dim, almost creating the sun-setting kind of look. It wasn't what I expected, to make a long story short. The walls are a deep purple color but laced with paintings of landscapes for added décor. Gaara pauses to pull off his trench coat and hang it up in the closet by the entrance.

It amuses me to know that the inside part is a vividly bright pink.

Gaara notices my look and smirks. Instead of saying anything fun, he asks me for my own jacket. I make a grimace as I hand it to him cause it's dripping all over the carpeted entrance.

My interest with my mess is short lived before I focus instead on what Gaara's wearing.

His t-shirt is black but has a glittery-style picture of the cookie monster on it. He's wearing white, pinstripe style capris, despite the weather, and gold-colored suspenders. He opted for high top converse sneakers that seem to be the same blue as the cookie monster. The heavy scarf he usually wears is replaces with a thick back ribbon tied around his neck, the bow tied neatly.

Sensing my eyes on him, Gaara turns to give me a mildly questioning look, his eyes almost glowing in the low light. If I didn't know better, I might've thought he was giving me the eye. Shaking my head to dispel the odd though that waddles into my head having to do with Gaara's blatant display of mockery towards my person using those gorgeous eyes, I should like to think that I wouldn't have minded if he'd been serious…about the slightly 'come hither' look, I mean.

The though should have horrified me, but somehow doesn't. This is what I get for having such gorgeous guy friends as buddies. Not even the thought of Neji seemed to stop me from briefly checking Gaara out as he took my hand again and led me to the wide reception area.

To distract myself from being more of a weirdo then I already am, I study the place. More deep purple, black lamps, a bookcase, several comfortable looking chairs later, I'm still wondering if Gaara knows that this place looks more like a classy dentist's office then a place to get his piercings.

The idea that he might actually not know where we are is tossed unceremoniously out the window along with the appearance of the receptionist.

My jaw is hanging open, I'm sure.

She's short, like me, but has a shock of frizzy bleach blond curls on her head. The strong red blush she's wearing high on her cheekbones accentuates her round face and her wide, shockingly friendly smile is all frosted blackish-red lipstick. Her ears are lined with piercings and both eye eyebrows look kinda spectacular with two piercings respectively. To top off her look, she's wearing a white nurse's uniform, the kind you see in old, sixties movies, along with the little white hat and the high, black pumps. Her name tag let's us know her name is Patsy.

Gaara doesn't seem to think that Patsy, or anything about her, is weird. For the most part, I try to keep my staring to a minimum.

"Name?" Patsy asks politely. Her eyes are a clear, baby blue.

She's probably only wearing contacts, but they didn't stop her from looking like a Marylyn Monroe back from the dead…or maybe like Betty Boop's sister.

Gaara doesn't answer but hands her a paper from his back pocket.

Patsy takes it, smiling, and sits down to type in the info at the computer. Absently, as she types, she looks over at me, "You guys together?"

Gaara shrugs and I turn kinda pink.

Patsy pauses, her hands poised above the keys, "Sorry, I'm kinda nosy"

She has a thick accent…like someone who comes from down south.

Finishing, she asks Gaara to come along with her and asks me to take a seat.

Alone, I sigh heavily and collapse into one of the chairs. I feel like someone waiting for bad news in a hospital waiting room. Since I'm bored, I busy myself by picking up one of the magazines lying on the table. Eying a particular picture of a guy with little barbell-like piercings lining his spinal cord, I don't hear or see Patsy come back.

"That's for veterans, not just anyone could bother getting those"

I jump and drop the magazine.

Patsy laughs, "Sorry…you just looked a bit freaked out there; I figured I could explain"

I grin, "Yeah, well, that's not something you see everyday" I point offhandedly at the fallen magazine.

Patsy nods, understanding, and sits close by on a nearby armchair, "Your friend's having something done, wouldn't you like something too?"

I stare at her for a minute, trying to decide if she's serious and burst out laughing, "No way…I don't know anything about piercings"

Patsy bites her lower lip, "Well, you might consider getting your tongue pierced"

I raise an eyebrow at her, "What would make you think so?"

Patsy smiles, amused at my sudden partial curiosity, "Well, you smile a lot and you laugh with your whole mouth. Piercings, depending on where they are, can be pretty flattering"

I shrug, "Wouldn't matter anyway 'cause you need to be older to have it done"

Patsy grins, "Nope, your buddy could give permission, he's eighteen isn't he?"

I stick my tongue out at her, "That can't be legal"

Patsy's grin widens, "Who said it had to be legal. It's not like it'll hurt that much, and you're old enough to take care of it. Sides, if you accept now, just cause I like 'ya, it'll be on the house"

It's hard not to like Patsy. She obviously stubborn and outspoken, and besides that, she's hard to argue with because she makes everything look so easy.

She's watching me, smiling knowingly, all black-red lipstick and piercing blue eyes, "Well? How's a 'bout it?"

Her southern accent peeks out faintly, and I smile, "I dunno"

Patsy clucks her tongue, "What's the holdup?"

I stare thoughtfully at my hands, "I'd not sure if I'll like it…and isn't it dangerous to get your tongue pierced?"

Patsy blinks at me, "Well, I can be a bit of a discomfort when you first get it, and ya have ta take it easy with what ya eat, but it's not so bad. If ya really don't like it, you can have it out later"

I scratch the back of my head, "That's just the thing though, I don't want to have it out later if I should've just not had it in the first place"

Patsy laughs, "Your so argumentative! Live a little! S'not like a boy to be so chicken"

I think, when I look back on this scene in my memory, it's her teasing that actually, probably, made me do it.

"Let me see"

Shika leans over me and eyes my swollen tongue with a face that clearly indicates how little he actually approves of what I just had done like an hour ago. Gaara, for the most part, is sitting next to me, completely oblivious to Shika's mild irritation and disapproval.

Must be nice to be so immune…

About an hour ago, Patsy, whose number is sitting in my pocket, convinced me to get a tongue barbell thing. The actual piercing wasn't as bad as I would've thought. It's the fact that my tongue swelled up so bad afterwards that kinda has me weirded out. Patsy says the swelling will go down in a day or so.

Gaara had easily given his approval, and as soon as we were both done, I suggested we go see Shika. He actually works regularly on weekends at a café that's only a block or so up the street from the arts place I work at. I bothered the crap outta Gaara cause I really needed to get something cool to drink so my tongue would take a break from throbbing.

Because of my tongue's swelling, I've been saved from speaking or having to explain myself.

Shika gives me another dirty look, "You do realize that you were born with all the holes your ever going to need right?"

Gaara snorts and hides it behind his bubble tea.

Shika shrugs, "Well, I guess not everyone can live with having a normal body"

"Phunny", I manage to say just this side of sarcastically enough. My tongue makes me sound like my mouth is full.

Gaara speaks up for the first time today, "Listen, it's not as bad as it looks"

Shika raises his eyebrow at him, "You'd think that my bark is worse then my bite, but it's the other way around. You've just never seen me mad"

Gaara raises an eyebrow back, "If you're busy judging things about people around you, then you have no time to love them for who they are"

Shika smiles faintly, "You got me there. Even when you make something idiot-proof, somebody will make a better idiot"

I sigh and put my head on my arms. I yawn and try not to worry about what Haku is going to say. I haven't seen much of him lately, what with all that extra work he's been taking care of at school, but if Shika hates it so much, it's hard to think that Haku might react otherwise.

Personally, I don't really think it's such a bit deal, but aren't I always wrong about everything anyway?

Shika taps my shoulder and sets another vanilla shake in front of me, "Go home. I get off in an hour or so; I'll drop by"

Then he ushers Gaara and me out huffily.

Shika likes to take care of people, and that's really true, but he just hates being caught doing it.

"Jeez, it's dark!"

My swelling's gone down since I had that vanilla shake and I can actually speak lucid English.

Gaara just shuts the door quietly behind us.

Because of all the bags at our feet, I have trouble turning around to search for the light switch.

When the light flickers on suddenly, I go temporarily blind, "Gaara, warn a guy next time"

Gaara just smirks, amused, and hauls half the bags into my kitchen.

It doesn't occur to me right away to see if Sasuke is still here, so I just carry the rest of the bags into the kitchen.

Gaara already pulled off his trench coat and has it draped over the counter. I watch him for a second, rummaging thru the bags with that intent look on his face. I laugh when he turns up with the Chocolate and peanut butter spread. Seeing me laughing doesn't bother him, instead, he just asks me where he can find the bread and a butter knife.

I roll my eyes and show him. He makes a quick sandwich with just that, and abruptly wanders off. Shrugging and smiling to myself, I start putting away my groceries.

Gaara wanders back looking pensive; "There's a lump on your sofa that mumbles when you poke it"

Raising both eyebrows at him, I head out into the living room and sure enough, the couch pullover is covering someone.

Reaching out tentatively, I uncover the head.

Sasuke's a little more then half awake by now. His hair's all over the place, but he smells really nice, probably from his shower. Grinning, I prod him till be opens his eyes and frowns at me, "Morning, Count Dracula"

Sasuke's frown dissolves and he blinks at me, "I thought you said you weren't calling me that anymore"

Who knew he even remembered me saying that? I stick my tongue out at him, "Changed my mind. It's past noon and you're still not up"

Sasuke is giving me the eye, "It that what I think it is?"

Puzzled, I sit down on the floor nest to the sofa and look up at him, "What?"

"That thing IN your tongue"

Sasuke sits up and the pullover slides off his shoulders enough to reveal that he is in fact wearing my stuff. Before I can answer him, Gaara wanders back into the room and offers Sasuke a sandwich.

Sasuke pauses, gives me a look, shrugs and takes it. Gaara sits beside him and takes another bite of his own sandwich.

I watch, amused, as Sasuke peels back the bread to look at what's inside. He raises both eyebrows at his sandwich before closing it and taking a bite. To tell the truth, I can understand his surprise, especially since I though I was the only weirdo that still ate chocolate sandwiches.

Not to be distracted, I razz Sasuke, "What about the thing IN my tongue?"

Sasuke just shrugs, "Doesn't seem like something you'd do"

I fume, "And you know me well enough to be able to tell if it's something I'd do or not?"

Gaara's chewing slows down minutely before he suddenly gets up and wanders back into my kitchen.

Sasuke stares after him, "Well, I've been your personal bully for like, the whole time we've known each other. I know enough to say that you're definitely not the type to have that done…unless someone planted the idea in your head?"

I stick my tongue out at him, "Screw off, would you? I can't believe you haven't gone home yet"

Sasuke doesn't look at me but his voice is icy, "No worries. I found me cell in your jacket pocket. Aniki is picking me up soon"

That makes me wish I'd swallowed my words instead of saying them.

Hesitantly, I tug at the pullover draped over his shoulders, "He still mad?"

Sasuke doesn't answer, but accepts the glass of milk that Gaara, who just came back, offers him.

Rolling my eyes, I get up, "I give up!"

I've put away my groceries but I don't dare go back into my living room cause Sasuke's still there. Gaara is out there too, but I doubt that'll stop Sasuke from being nasty with me. I have to admit, though, that I shouldn't have been mean about him staying over.

Sasuke isn't the kind of person who likes to depend on others. He hates not being able to handle his own problems on his own terms. Both these things make him hard to approach and easy to tick off. Show a little concern and he wants to bite you.

Aside from that though, I'm starting to think that I should call Shika and warn him not to come. I forgot, ironically enough, that Sasuke and Shika aren't the best of friends and having them together, in my relatively small place, could be just this side of disastrous.

"How long are you going to hide in here?"

I almost drop the cup I'm putting away, "Gaara, don't DO that. Sneaking up on a guy in not considered cool"

Gaara blinks acerbically at me to indicate how much he cares, "Sasuke's going downstairs"

I shrug, turning back to my cupboard, "So?"

Gaara 'hmms' disinterestedly behind me, "Go with him"

I turn just long enough to give Gaara the eye, "In case you didn't notice…he's mad at me…AGAIN!"

Gaara reaches up to adjust his bow tie-shaped ribbon, "Then apologize"

I give up on putting away my dishes, "You make everything sound so easy"

Gaara narrows his eyes at me and cocks his head, "Do I?"

I can't help but laugh, "Don't ask rhetorical questions, that's my job"

Gaara, being the cool guy that he is, just shrugs, "I don't do easy, I do straightforward"

I grin at him, "Why are you being so literate all of a sudden?"

Gaara shoves his hands into his pockets and turns to leave, "It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety" Pausing, he shrugs again, "I'm going to watch TV"

Now that Gaara has planted the idea in my head, I think I might want to go down with Sasuke. He may be mad at me, but even he'll accept an apology if I make it now instead of later. Besides, I'm starting to actually like Sasuke and anyway, someone said that you have to be a friend to have friends.

Leaving the kitchen, I head toward the living room and find only Gaara sitting on the couch and watching TV like he said he would. Looking up at me briefly, Gaara flips to another channel, "He's in your room"

Shrugging, I head down the hall towards my room. The door is closed but I can hear Sasuke moving around inside. Pushing the door open slowly, I peek in.

Sasuke is changing back into his clothes.

Reddening a bit, I hesitate just inside the door, "Sorry about before"

Sasuke, who is halfway through putting his shirt on, pulls it the rest of the way and gives me a long look, "Don't worry about it"

The indifference in his tone makes it obvious that he's not pissed but certainly still annoyed with me. Sighing, I come into the room and flop down on the bed.

Sasuke watches me for a minute before turning away to fold and place the clothes he borrowed on my dresser, "Thanks anyway for letting me hijack your place"

I grin, "Isn't that what friends are for?"

Sasuke shrugs, "I wouldn't know"

Rolling my eyes, I sit up and fold my hands in my lap to stop myself from fidgeting, "I know I can be an ass, _sometimes_, but I do kinda like you…as a friend…when you're not being scary…"

Sasuke half turns, still folding the large black sweater he's being lounging around in, "I'm scary?"

I give him a measured look to see if he's being sarcastic, "Among other things"

Sasuke raises an eyebrow, "Others things?"

I pull a face at him, "Your bossy and a showoff and a smart mouth and a bully and seriously overconfident and full of yourself and kinda sarcastic…as if you didn't already know"

Sasuke raises the other eyebrow to complete his surprised look but doesn't answer. After a moment, he kinda smirks, "If you really think I'm all those things, why do you hang around me, Usurakontachi?

That rarely heard hint of fondness when he calls me that mean nickname stops me from saying something nasty, "Yeah, well, you're the one that kinda hovers around me anyway. Might as well make peace with you"

Sasuke kinda shakes his head and smiles slightly and since there really in nothing else for me to say, I stay quiet.

I watch Sasuke put his bandana back on and check his pockets for his keys. He takes a minute to look around my room before motioning me to follow him out to the hall.

Standing, I follow. At the door, I reach to pull on my jacket but Sasuke stops me, "Don't bother"

I stick my tongue out at him, "Why not?"

Sasuke takes my jacket from me and hangs it up again, "Do you really want to see my brother?"

I hesitate a second too long and Sasuke smirks, "I didn't think so"

I frown at him, "I'm not THAT scared of him"

Sasuke smirks again, "Neither am I, but that doesn't mean you'd want to hang around him more then normally"

My eyes somehow gravitate to Sasuke's wrists which are hidden again under the studded wristbands, "You never mentioned if he was still mad or not"

Sasuke shrugs easily, "Would it matter if he was?"

I purse my lips, "Why am I the only one worried about this?"

Sasuke calmly turns the doorknob and half steps out, "Because you're an idiot"

I stick my tongue out at him, "Fuckoff"

Sasuke grins, "I am" Before shutting the door behind himself, he reaches out to put his hand behind my neck and pull me close enough to kiss my cheek, "Thanks for worrying anyway"

Flushing bright red, I shove him, "Teme! Screw off! Go HOME!"

Sasuke laughs and walks calmly down the hall, my yelling follow him all the way into the elevator where he turns to smirk at me before the doors slide shut.

Slamming the door shut, I stand in the entryway for a minute to compose myself.

I'm surrounded by molesters!

Stomping into the living room, I collapse next to a motionless Gaara. Instead of bitching, I glance at the TV. Gaara is watching a documentary about scorpions.

Sitting motionless next to Gaara, we both watch, entranced, as a scorpion female defends her young from being eaten by raising her tail menacingly at a shrew. The baby scorpions are curled up on her back and holding on for dear life.

I kinda cringe when she attempts to sting the shrew and misses. Lucky for her, the shrew gives up and she heads back into her fallen log home.

During the commercials, Gaara mutes the TV, "Sasuke's gone?"

I nod, still a little peeved.

Gaara sits back and drops the remote between us, "Did you know that some scorpions eat other scorpions when they have nothing else to eat while others are cannibalistic by nature?"

I turn to give Gaara a grossed out look.

Gaara shrugs, "It's a smart way to survive"

I grin, "Gaara, does that mean you'd eat me if you had no other choice?"

Gaara gives me a long look, jade eyes searching my face. Abruptly, he sits back up and catches my wrist, using it to pull me closer. Losing my precarious balance, I land hard on his chest. Still holding my wrist prisoner, Gaara uses his other hand to tilt my face up to his.

Still a little shell shocked, I still don't react when Gaara studies my face one last time before leaning down and brushing his lips over mine. I hold my breath, still unresisting, and Gaara pulls back. I let escape a shaky breath and Gaara kisses me again.

It's kinda hard to tell yourself that what's happening is wrong when Gaara's tongue is teaching you the meaning of 'tonsil hockey'; therefore, it's kinda hard to muster up the energy to try.

Back when I still though French kissing was gross, I might have weirded out when Gaara starts sucking on my tongue. However, after having been exposed to both Sasuke, who is a vicious kisser and Neji, who's the exact opposite, I can't find it in me to dislike any kind of affection given in this fashion.

I think I might be addicted…

Pulling away slowly, Gaara sits back, me still leaning heavily on him, "Does that answer you're question?"

Breathless, I just shake my head. What I wanna know is how I get myself into these situations.

I have a boyfriend for crying out loud…

The doorbell rings and I sit there like a lump, still kinda dazed. Gaara sits me up and un-mutes the TV, "I'll go look"

Starring after him, I slowly turn back to the TV when he disappears around the corner.

Sayin' that I'm a little shocked might be another of the biggest understatements of the century.

I don't register much else that happens that night.

I can remember Haku popping up and making a huge fuss over my tongue piercing and Shika giving me a big helping of 'I-told-you-so' conversation and Gaara sitting passively but protectively at my side, but I don't remember being quite there myself.

I do know that I am very ashamed of myself.

It's not that I don't like Gaara or even Sasuke for that matter, but Neji is my official boyfriend.

It occurs to me though, that I may have a problem.

In Sasuke's case, he knows damn well I'm attached but just wants to make my life hell for the fun of it AND because he wants to piss off Neji, who still happens to know nothing about the fact that Sasuke is after me.

In Gaara's case, he doesn't even know that I'm with Neji. The only people who know for sure that we're dating are Sasuke, Haku and Shika.

Sasuke wouldn't suspects Gaara of liking me, and even if he did, he wouldn't have said anything about my being attached just to get me into more trouble.

In Shika and Haku's case, they are both assuming that they are the only two who know, which they were, before this whole thing blew up in my face and turned into a massive nightmare.

All this is made worse when I remember that I'm spending the day with Neji tomorrow. How am I gonna look him in the face and act like nothing's been happening? I'm not sure if it's even worth telling him what's going on since he might be mad at me for letting all these things happen to me without telling him when they started in the first place. As far as I can tell, there is no right way to go about fixing this, other then to excommunicate myself and hide away in my place till I can think up a solution.

Then again, I'm not going to gave the luxury of having down time since my place is practically Sitcom Duck central…

I'm officially screwed…

**_Ebra_**: Anybody got any idea where this is going? **Lol** About the piercing, that actually happened to me. I went along with a friend and the guy at the reception was like, 'Get one too!' and I did, but my mom was livid. Needless to say it was out less then three days later, **lmao**. Sorry if everything is getting random, but I'm still kinda playing around with the plot; I'm not even sure who Naru will end up with although I was hoping for Neji myself **XD**


	8. Author's Idiosyncrasy

Recently, I received a review form someone who made me realize a few things. For one, I HAVE been going massively overboard with things and I'm sorry to say that I hadn't noticed until this person had mentioned how little my fic was turning out like how I'd started it. I've been doing exactly what I didn't want to do: turning everybody OOC.

**Ebra hangs head** I would re-write some of the last few chapters, but I don't think I can without turning it into something completely different, so I'm going to take some time off to see if I can get my characterizations straight. Sadly, I've been tweaking with too many peoples original personalities.

After re-reading some of my chapters, I also realized that I've been digging myself into a hole. I just keep muddling things up a little too much for it to be realistic. I appreciate that people still like the story but I really think that I could do better if given some time.

That specific review seriously bummed me, but I'm not mad at that person for giving me a reality check. In fact, I needed one. You're all just too nice to set me straight. **Le** **Sigh**

Please don't expect a chapter right away cause I sorta have some serious re-arranging to do…**Waves white flag in surrender**

See you all when I finish and Gomen about everything.

**Ebra waves**

I drew Gaara looking a little pickled to match my mood; feel free to take a peek: w w w. d e v i a n t a r t . c o m /view/ 22317622/


	9. BombShellBoy Syndrome

Ebra: I love this story enough that I've decided to give the can another kick. I won't change the previous chapters because I wrote them with some kind of idea in mind. Just because it didn't turn out the way I grew not so much to like didn't mean it wasn't good…in it's own way. I'll just try to pick up where I left off and hopefully, it'll look like I'm getting back on some kind of track. Lol

Bombshell-Boy Syndrome:

Positive: 1)Occurs when you come in contact with someone attractive. Symptoms included spazzing out, loss of overall motor skills, drooling, excessive blushing, and an inability to refrain from starring and lame attempts at conversation. Basically, it's like 'SHAZAM!' happening when you see or come in contact with someone you find exotic in the looks department.

Negative: 2)Can also occur when you've just been dumped and or ignored/brushed off by someone who was either important to you or someone you were attracted to; the equivalent of being seriously bummed. Please Read, Review and Enjoy! 'Purple 

Cocaine Prison'

Bombshell-Boy Syndrome !

It has got to be sometime after midnight and I'm feeling less inclined to want to get up tomorrow

Last time I got up to check the time in the kitchen, it'd been past midnight. It's kinda dark in my place and I can feel myself going a little stir crazy. I had to face facts: I wasn't getting any sleep anytime soon.

With that in mind, I realize that the next logical step would be to get out and get some air…the kind that clears your head and helps you rationalize that you are in fact sane…even when the events leading up to your sleeplessness prove otherwise.

So, right, I need to get out of here. Shika and Haku are sound asleep so it's not like they're going to miss me.

Pulling on a shirt, I leave my apartment, barefoot, and head for the top floor. I haven't decided if I'm still going to just get air or if I'm going to jump off the roof and end my misery.

It also occurs to me that I haven't been around to see the stupid grandma in a while and somehow, I feel like talking to her.

In the elevators, I count aloud as the floors go up. Once I get up there, I head for the only apartment on the floor; the hag doesn't really favor company.

Looking under the shabby welcome mat, I spot her spare key and open the door quietly as I can manage.

Inside is pitch dark, if not for the faint moonlight bathing the place, but I'm not worried about finding my way around since her place is roughly the same as everyone elses, if not a little bigger.

I pass by her living room, catching a glimpse of her horrifying new décor and continue down the hall, past the bathroom, down the darkest part of the hallway, and stop when I reach the door to her bedroom.

Taking a minute to listen for movement out side her door and hearing nothing, not even her snoring, I turn the doorknob quietly and slip into the room.

At first glance, that lumpy thing occupying the bed doesn't even faintly seem to have a woman's shape, but I'm pretty sure that it's the hag.

Padding softly into the room, making as little noise as hardwood floor allows, I come to stand next to the bed. Peering hard and squinting I pick apart certain things that I can see: strands of beige-blonde hair peeking out from under the sheets, a pale hand with a bold metal ring on the thumb and an edge of bright green silk pajama.

Taking a deep breath, knowing that I may not live to regret this, I shake her.

For a second, I actually think that she's not getting up, but just as I take my hand away and start to turn, the sheets covering the lump are thrown back with a force that kicks up a draft and the lump rises up: a bright green face, matching the silk pajamas, blond tentacles for hair and mouth opening in a soundless grunt.

Freezing on the spot, on the verge of shouting, I grab for the pillow and conk the damn thing on the head in self-defense and watch, amazed as the zombie sinks back into the sheets moaning faintly.

After a minute or so, me standing frozen at the side of the bed, the pillow clutched protectively to my chest, the moaning ebbs away and the lump tells me, pretty clearly: "Fucking brat"

Sighing in sheer relief, I drop the pillow and start laughing… !

"Who the hell told you that you could crawl into people's apartments, after midnight no less, like a sexual predator, and disturb my beauty sleep just to ask me a question? And another thing, you do realize that I'm your landlord, right? Piss me off enough and your outta here"

With the horrifying kiwi facemask washed off and the hair somewhat brushed down, I have an easier time taking the hag seriously.

I would say something rude about how no sexual predator in his right mind, or even out of it, would go after a wench like her, but my arm is still smarting from where she punched me and I'm not really interested in seconds. Nursing the green tea she gave me, I bathe my tongue in the hot liquid and smile at the way it feels against my piercing.

Tsunade-Hag stops grumbling and fixes her eyes on me in a way that makes me freeze. Slowly, she shakes her head and sits down heavily across from me, "So…why did you come and wake me up at…" she leans away from the table to check the clock before turning back to me with a possibly more irritated expression then she had before, "…two thirty seven in the morning…"

Grinning, I just swallow my mouthful of tea and shrug, "I needed someone to bother and I knew you'd be up for it"

A vein pops up just above her right eye and she winces at me, slowly picking up her own mug, "Your too old to be needing to creep into someone else personal space for comfort…I'm not your damn mother"

Sighing forcefully, she studies the inside of her mug.

That makes me grin: she's not my mother, but she might just be the closest thing I've ever had to one.

And anyway, I feel more settled in my own skin being in her place, with her close by, then I've been since what happened a few hours ago.

I don't tell her that though…it'd be gross if we suddenly got soft on each other.

"So", Tsunade- Hag says conversationally, "You never did tell me what was wrong"

I curl up on the chair I'm sitting in and study the vase of lilacs sitting in the middle of the table, "My life's gotten too complicated compared to when nothing was going on in it…and I don't hate it, but it's a bit of a pain in the ass to deal with, all at once, but it's fun, a little, too…and besides all that, I don't seem to be able to draw anymore"

Tsunade-Hag exhales slowly, "You damn brat: dealing with people is part of growing up. I have to admit I thought you'd never have to deal with it but…"

Flaring up, I toss my empty mug at her, which she catches easily.

She shakes her head and smirks, "You should be happy to have so many people surrounding you. Besides, it was bound to happen sometime: you're too loud and obnoxious to ignore and you do seem to have this ability to bring people together"

I grin, "Yeah?"

She casually sips her tea, "Yeah, cause I don't really make it a habit of letting strays stay in my apartments if they don't have papers or parents…and are underage to boot"

I laugh: she always knows how to make a guy feel better in her own backwards way.

"Now", she says, getting all bossy-hag on me, "Spill the real beans"

I explain about Neji and Sasuke and Gaara as best I can without making anyone seem more evil then the other and without holding back the gory details.

Finishing, I sit back, "So, it can't exactly be healthy to be letting everyone on the planet kiss me"

Tsunade-Hag might have been surprised but she doesn't show it.

She gets up and gets herself a drink. Settling across from me again, she pours a small amount of sake into a palm cup and studies the lilacs the way I was.

Pouting, I squint at her, "You know, people don't give good advice when they're drunk"

Barely moving her lips, she answers, "You'd be surprised what I can do when I'm drunk, ya damn brat. Now shut up a lemme think"

Feeling rebellious, I cross my arms and wait for her to say something. After a few minutes of total silence, my patience runs out, "You really are a dumb old cow with a drinking problem!"

She reaches across the table, almost faster then I can see and punches me hard in the shoulder, "Be quiet!"

I yelp sharply and fall, irately, silent.

Better to let her think in peace then to risk being mashed to bits bothering her at it.

Her lips pucker in her concentration and I feel myself wanting to laugh. She has that effect on people: one second your miserable in her company and the next you on the verge of laughing your ass off.

The longer she muses over my problem, the more stupid I feel for telling her.

The truth is Gaara, for one, will always be Gaara. Granted, he's a little odd, but he's more likely to have kissed me to shock then anything else.

On the other hand, Sasuke isn't so bad to deal with anymore as long as I avoid pissing him off too much.

Tsunade-Hag interrupts my thoughts with a short laugh, "You know what I think? Your just willing to tolerate certain things to maintain these friends of yours"

It's my turn to look clueless and she pours herself another cup before deciding to elaborate, "You let that Sasuke guy pick on you. You don't seem to ask much of that Neji guy, so you don't know a lot about him either and you kinda ignore the fact that Gaara is a little odd. You'd rather make allowances then loose people that are important to you"

I'd rather not look stupid so I say: "Isn't that a good thing?"

She grins and sips her drink, "You tell me"

I shrug, "Maybe, maybe not. It confuses me, though"

Tsunade-Hag chases a few drops at the bottom of her cup with a finger, "What's more confusing? The fact that your willing to make these allowances or the fact that your not thinking of ways to change this system?"

I didn't think of the latter and was definitely wondering about the first one so I say: "Both, I guess"

She smiles crookedly, her blond hair falling into her face as she folds her arms on the table and rests her head on them, "Think about what bothers you more: the why or the how?"

We fall silent for a minute while I give the matter some thought and she sighs, her breath ruffling the petals of the lilac flower closest to her face.

I chew my bottom lip, "Even if I wanted to change, how do I?"

She laughs quietly and shrugs, "You tell me, I'm too old to strain myself thinking these kind of things over"

That makes me laugh cause she looks twenty something when she's actually fifty. Her personality is what gives her away.

Something else occurs to me but before I can ask, she sits up and eyes me, "No more questions. I'm going to bed and your going to find someplace to crash; here or upstairs, I don't care"

"But-"

Tsunade-Hag's face gets real scary for a minute but instead of beating on me, she deliberately pours a cup of sake and sets it down in front of me, "Drink that without chocking and I'll answer one more question"

I'll be the first to admit that I'm pretty gullible.I've had a drink or too before, and it's not something I'm really into, but I figure this can't be any worse then chugging beer, which was pretty bad by itself.

I take the palm cup and swallow everything.

I literally start coughing the second the stuff hits my throat.

Tsunade-Hag laughs her ass all the way to the kitchen entrance, "G'night, brat"

She disappears down the hall and I listen to her bedroom door open and close softly.

I sit there for a few more minutes, my eyes watering and my throat on fire and the most I can think to do is smile.

She might not have given me any straight answers but she did help me gets a better look at the picture and like I said, she really does know how to make a guy feel better, even in that backwards way of hers !

I escape the hag's apartment and go home to mine.

I collapse onto my red velvet couch and curl up using the throw-over.

Half lying on the couch, submerged in my thoughts, I don't hear Haku come into the living room.

"Can't sleep?" He leans over the back of my sofa to gives me the eye.

Curled up in the pullover, 'trying' to sleep, it does take me more then a minute to answer, "Not really"

Haku, who borrowed a massive t-shirt of mine, looks like he's wearing a nightgown, "Want to talk?"

I roll over and sit up enough to make space for him.

Haku smiles slightly and sits down next to me, taking a corner of the pullover and stretching it to cover both of us, "Sooo, anything on your mind?"

I grin tiredly, "You'd drop dead if I told you"

Haku smiles lightly, "Being your best friend should've already killed me. I'm still here because I'm resilient"

Sitting in the near dark, I try to look at Haku's face. I don't see much aside from his hair, tucked behind his ears and his bright brown eyes, "Promise not to freak out?"

Haku purses his lips before laughing, "I can't. Every time I skip out to take care of something, you always have something shocking to tell me when I get back"

I laugh quietly, "Fine. You ask the questions then"

Haku moves so that his shoulder is touching mine, "Firstly, whatever possessed you to get that piercing?"

I laugh. I should've known that he'd ask that before anything else.

Smiling guiltily, I tell him the truth, "I was kinda conned into it"

Haku stares at me hard, "Explain to me how you can be 'conned' into something like that?"

I smile and try to sound serious, "Her name is Patsy and she's an expert"

Haku pinches my arm, "Idiot. Didn't Gaara say anything to stop you?"

I don't answer and Haku sighs, "Of course he wouldn't, he's Gaara"

I laugh at the despairing tone in Haku's voice. You'd think I'd signed a contract to have my body donated to science instead of just having gotten a piercing, "Is it really that bad?"

Haku pinches me again instead of answering.

After a moment, he continues with his Spanish Inquisition, "I heard from Shika that Sasuke slept over"

I pause. Shika told Haku that? He wouldn't have even known…unless Gaara told him.

Biting my lip, I try not to sound bothered, "So?"

Haku sighs, "We are talking about Uchiha Sasuke right? The guy who used to beat you into pulp back in Junior High?"

I laugh, "He's not so bad"

Haku smiles, "Maybe not, but he's not exactly safe either, is he?"

I stop smiling.

Haku's right when he says that.

Sasuke doesn't beat me up anymore but maybe it would've been easier on me if he still hated my guts instead of wanting them for his private collection. Being noticed by Sasuke can mean one of two crappy scenarios: he either likes you as a toy or as a punching bag. Not one is better then the other, sadly.

Haku notices my silence, "Did he do anything to you?"

I wonder if I'll regret saying this later on, "Well, not yesterday"

Haku frowns at me, "But before?"

I shrug, "He kissed me once"

Haku falls silent. For a second, I worry that he might be disgusted with me.

I may have been able to stop it at the time but I hadn't felt the need to. I was as much to blame for what happened as Sasuke was. All he did was take advantage of the fact that I was mostly willing.

"Does Neji know?"

I try to swallow past the lump in my throat.

I was hopping the conversation wouldn't take this turn so fast, but hoping never helped anybody, "No"

Haku pokes me in the side, "Anything else I should know?"

He doesn't sound mad, but he's adopting that motherly voice that means he'll be lecturing me in a minute.

Sighing, I decide to let the other cat out of the bag, especially since his twin is already climbing walls and shitting in people's gardens, "Gaara kissed me too"

Haku doesn't say anything for a minute.

Shifting, he runs a hand through his hair, "Sasuke I can understand…but are you sure Gaara wasn't just joking?"

That kinda surprises me, "What do you mean?"

Haku grins, "You know better then any of us that Gaara has a side of him that likes, especially, shocking people. Besides, he sticks to you like a brother would so I don't think he'd make a serious move on you"

Now that Haku mentions it, I think he's right, "Yeah, Gaara is a little special"

Haku's smile widens, "Spontaneous, really"

Grinning, I shake my head, "More like weird"

Haku nods, "But in a good way"

I grin back, "Definitely in a good way"

Haku nods then shrugs, "Besides, I thought he liked Sasuke"

That throws me for a loop, "Now you're the one who's joking, right?"

Haku smiles, "Shika thinks so"

I stop to think it over instead of hyperventilating.

For one, Sasuke is always trying to piss me off. He doesn't get along very well with Neji and they are both always trying to show each other up. It's not far fetched to think that Sasuke is just stirring up my emotions because he can. He knows that I like Neji, but he also is an expert at messing with people and because of my closeness to Neji he figures he can get to Neji through me.

And on the other hand, I really can't see Gaara being anything other then a brother to me, not because he isn't attractive or anything, but more because he represents the kind of comfort that I actually haven't found anywhere else. If I ever had a brother in the first place, I'm sure he would've been like Gaara. And if Gaara actually likes Sasuke then things might actually work out.

If Sasuke ends up liking Gaara back then he'll have no reason to chase after me.

Sasuke is actually more emotional then any one person can give him credit for but hides it behind being a wise-ass and bossy, whereas Gaara has better control of his emotions and knows how to sort them out and keep them in check if the way he always keeps cool in most situations is any indication.

In Gaara's case though, he's pretty intolerant of people and has a quick temper while Sasuke, who is always surrounded by people, knows how to deal with them better then Gaara does.

They might seem like they wouldn't get along, but Gaara has an inner stability and self-confidence that Sasuke could stand to have rub off on him and Sasuke has an ease with people and a knack for understanding emotions that Gaara could learn from.

But that's only if they hook up…and only if Gaara does actually like Sasuke.

Because I don't have enough to go on, I don't mention to Haku anything that just went trough my head. Besides, if I told him that I had the sudden urge to play matchmaker, he'd seriously put me off it and I can't have that.

"Hmmm", I answer vaguely.

Haku laughs, "You don't sound convinced"

I grin and shrug my shoulder, "Sounds a little freaky, you don't think?"

Haku smiles knowingly, "You'd say that…"

"And you wouldn't?" I answer, curious.

Haku clams up and answers me with a laugh.

I think Haku has matchmaking on his mind as much as I do.

I frown and steer the conversation back to what was serious, "Why are letting me off the hook so easily?"

Haku muses for a minute, "I'm not really letting you off the hook, I'm tryin to make you understand that if Neji is the most important of the three to you, then you should try not to entertain the other two by letting them think that you are available when you're otherwise not. You're old enough to know what is important and what you can do without. You should just take a minute to consider if you can live without Neji and if you can, then there isn't anything anyone can do about it, right?"

That shuts me up and makes me think.

I admit that openly telling Gaara that I'm attached won't matter anyway since he's like a brother to me but in Sasuke's case, he's just trying to screw me over.

This, I mention to Haku.

Haku grins ruefully, "Even if he really is just playing around with you, it'd still be important to tell Neji about it"

He pauses when he sees the face I make, "I know it might seem like a last resort, but if Neji is aware that Sasuke is messing with you and decides to interfere, which only he can, being your boyfriend, then maybe Sasuke will be less inclined to chase after you?"

The man has a point, "I guess so"

Haku nudges closer to me and yawns, "If you trust Neji and you believe in your feelings for him then you should be able to tell him what's been going on. It might be hard but your relationship will be stronger because of it"

I smile and snuggle back, "You should quit watching so much Dr. Phil"

Haku laughs quietly, "That was advice from Cosmo, thank you very much"

Laughing, we curl up, leaning on each other, and finally fall asleep.

"You're not wearing that"

Shika is perched on the edge of my bed and eyeing the navy blue mechanics suit I'm wearing overtop my clothes.

I roll my eyes at him, "It's just for the weather!"

Since it's been raining all morning, I don't dare go out with just an umbrella.

Besides, I'm going to Neji's house and I can't dress anything less then perfect, which conflicts with the fact that I'll need to bundle up to combat the rain.

Haku is nose deep in his Bio textbook, "What's wrong with it?"

Shika raises an eyebrow at him, "You better look at him before you say that. He looks like a garbage man"

Honestly, Shika can be pretty mean when he wants to be.

I'd bet anything that he's mad at me for letting Sasuke sleep over or something equally anal.

Haku looks up at me, "It's not bad really"

Shika just shakes his head, defeated.

Smirking, I stick my tongue out at Shika, careful not to let my piercing scrape my teeth because it's a little sore.

Shika give me his best 'Eat-shit-and-die' look before disappearing down the hall and into my kitchen.

Sitting next to Haku, I read over his shoulder, "What's eating him?"

Haku laughs lightly, "He's actually more against your piercing then I am and he's been bothered about it since yesterday when he called me to come over"

I scratch the back of my head, "Why does he care so much? It's my body, isn't it?"

Haku shuts his book and sits up, "Yes but you know how much he always likes to look after you, he's practically your big brother"

"More like my dad", I mutter back.

Haku shrugs, "What are you wearing under that?"

I wink at him, "None of your business"

Haku laughs and shoves me off the bed.

Laughing at each other, we head into the kitchen where Shika is making breakfast.

I can tell he's set on sulking to show me how happy he is with me and I plan on ignoring him.

I have a big day ahead of me.

I woke up this morning with reality having shifted back into place in the five or six hours Haku and I had slept on the couch.

Basically, I'm going to ignore what happened with Gaara; the guy is practically family by now.

As for Sasuke, I've been dealing with him ok. He could still use some manners and anger management and a new, slightly less inflated ego but he's doing all right. My real problem is Neji. I've been keeping secrets from him and I've decided to spill 'em.

It will probably turn out badly, knowing Neji but I own it to him.

Anyway, it's about time I grew my balls back.

I've been alone a long time; it's not going to kill me to let go.

Hurt deeply, sure, but not kill…

So, basically, I'm a man on a mission.

Shika can sulk till the world ends and I won't care; I've got things to do…

After getting off the bus, I look around to make sure that I'm in the right place.

Tilting back my bright orange umbrella, I gaze up the street at the massive, mansion-like estates and start walking up the block.

The street is lined with gated properties and tall trees, the kind that are thirty years old and still growing. It's also eerily silently apart from the pitter-patter of the rain and my humming.

Stopping, I pull the piece of paper I used to write Neji's address out of my pocket and check the number of the house: 2103.

Pausing, I glance at the gate I'm standing in front of and realize that I'm in the right place.

Clueless, I walk up to the gate and look for a way in.

After a minute or so, I notice the intercom box and head over to it.

Before I can even press the call button, the humongo black gates swing slowly open.

Standing, dumbfounded, I watch someone make his or her way out to me.

I recognize Neji once he's barely a few feet away.

Coming to stand next to me, Neji smiles faintly.

A little at a loss for words, still, I just watch him getting wetter by the second.

Neji is wearing a sleeveless silver shirt and black jeans with a black sash tied around his waist. His hair, steadily getting wetter by the second, changes from its rich dark brown to near black. All of it is tossed casually over his left shoulder and settling more heavily as the water increases it's weight.

When some common sense finally gets into me, I hold my umbrella over him and grin, "What are you doing out here?"

I reach up, reflexively, and wipe the raindrops off his cheeks.

Neji shrugs, wet hair sliding off his shoulder and smiling amusedly, "You looked lost"

Not really listening, I stand on tiptoe and tuck his hair behind his ear and brush his bangs out of his face.

Realizing what I'm doing a second too late, I stand back and have the decency to blush.

Trying to mask my embarrassment, I raise an eyebrow at him, "How could you have seen me from all the way up there?"

Neji smirks and points silently to the pair of security cameras posted over the gate.

Sheepishly, I shrug, "I should have known"

Neji shakes his head, hair falling into his face again, "Doesn't matter. Let's go inside"

Taking my hand in his, Neji turns to march back up the drive.

Holding the umbrella over us both, I follow silently, thankful to be getting out of the rain.

Neji has a fascinating house because it's build like those traditional Japanese estates. Instead of heading for the extravagant front entrance, we veer off to the left and follow a path up to some stone steps and across a large outdoor garden. The garden is huge with tons of flowers and even a few full-grown trees. It's kind of built in a semi-circle shape that closes off the view of the street once you walk fully into it. Neji leads me straight across it and onto a wooden veranda lined with paper lanterns.

Neji lets go of my hand long enough to take my umbrella from me, "You can leave your shoes here"

Silently, I pull them off and arrange them near the veranda stairs.

Turning back to Neji, I watch him easily pull aside a heavy wooden door to reveal a double door type rice paper screen. It's plain white but painted over with pictures of Chinese dragons and misty greenish-blue mountains around the bottom. Pulling the screen aside, Neji enters the room and motions for me to follow.

The room is dark in a late-afternoon sort of way and when I peek in before stepping in, I notice that it must be a library the way it's lined with bookcases and floor pillows.

Stepping onto the matted floor, I pause, "Hey, Neji?"

He walks further into the room and disappears around a bookcase, "Coming…"

Deciding to wait for him to come back, I pull off my mechanics suit.

Rolling it into a ball, I leave on the floor next to my shoes.

Nervous, I stand, fidgeting, until Neji reappears.

For a moment, Neji just stands to look at me.

Blushing, I shove my hands into my pockets, "What's wrong?"

I'm wearing the shirt Gaara gave me, with the wide collar, long sleeves and sheer material. Because it's red and white, I pared it with my favorite black jeans. I also decided to wear the corded necklace Haku gave me for my last birthday so my neck wouldn't feel so naked.

Neji shakes his head and smiles, "Nothing. Come here?"

Glad to have something to do, other then stand around, I go to him.

He takes my hand again and leads me further into the room where a small living room space is arranged.

The little light that there is comes from a massive circular skylight right above the place. There are two stark white loveseats and a black lacquered table with a vase filled with white oleanders as the centerpiece. There is a thick, leather bound book sitting on the table that catches my eye.

Neji sits us down on the larger of the two loveseats and reaches out to take the book and hand it to me, "This is for you"

As if knowing I would hesitate, Neji gently flips the first page open and shows me where, in gold lettering, my name is inscribed at the top of the first page.

Taking it from him, I slowly flip to the first page, "What's it about?"

Neji settles next to me and shrugs, "You'll have to read it to find out"

I grin and close it, "But I'm asking you"

Neji shrugs again, "What makes you think I know what it's about?"

Reddening slightly, but having the nerve to do it anyway, I lean into him and tuck his hair behind his ear again, "Because I'm starting to figure you out…and you wouldn't just pick any old book"

Neji rests a hand on my stomach and tilts his head thoughtfully, "I only read the first chapter"

His hand is warm where it's pressed against my lower belly and it's kind of distracting, "Then how do you know I'll like it"

Neji smirks, "The words"

Remembering our conversation about books from before, I grin, "If the writer uses the right words, you understand better and then you keep reading because you like the way the story is being told"

Neji smiles faintly, "Exactly"

Setting the book aside, I dig into my pocket and hand him the small, gift wrapped box, "This is for you"

Neji raises an eyebrow at me and I grin but stop him from opening it, "I have to tell you something important first"

This is really the part I've been dreading.

I open my mouth to actually spill about what's been going on but freeze when Neji looks at me: all silver-blue eyes, gorgeous skin and brown hair.

Blushing stupidly, I stare at my hands, trying not to twist them out of nervousness.

Neji takes his hand from my stomach and rests it on my knee instead, "What?"

His voice is all gentle concern and I feel like there is no way that I could fess up to what I've been doing, because I really couldn't live with him rejecting me. I realize in that moment how much he actually means to me.

Looking back up at him, I swallow thickly, "I love you"

I always hated it in the movie, when the girl makes the declaration, how everybody goes nuts, like it's really such a bit deal. I'll admit that I'm embarrassed and that I'd rather Neji didn't make a big deal out of it, but nothing quite prepares you for the sight of Neji smiling the way he does after I say those words.

I forget to be embarrassed and I'm just mesmerized by the complete honesty of the expression. There probably isn't even anything that he could've said that would've made me understand how much those three, horrifying, little words made him happy.

But, real life, MY life, isn't a fairy tale and the moment lasts as long as it needs to before I manage to gather the strength I need to go through with what I'd planned since this morning.

I get up, cross the mats soundlessly and settle myself on the other loveseat.

Neji stares after me, puzzled, but waits to see what I'll do or say.

I cross my legs under me and sit with my back straight, looking Neji in the eyes.

My stomach has started grumbling uncomfortably and I get the distinct impression that I'm about to do something stupid.

I let my eyes drop to his mouth and notice the way they pinch a little when he starts to frown.

Sighing, I ring my hands, once, nervously and settle them over my increasingly upset stomach, "Remember when I had that Spanish project with Sasuke?"

Neji's mouth is the only thing that betrays his emotions; it turns down at the corners as if knowing in advance that it won't like what it's about to hear.

All at once, I take a breath and let out in a rush what I'd meant to say in a careful, half-rehearsed way: "He kinda kissed me…and I let it happen. And that time you were coming over, he did again, and that time I was, you know, kinda mad, but I let happen anyway, again…sort of. And anyway, I figured that everything would be okay, right, if I kept away from him, but his brother kinda roughed him up a bit, and I felt sorry for him…so he slept over the other day, but really, it's not a big deal"

The last part sounds super lame, even to me and despite the fact that the temperature in the room seems to drop below 0 degrees, I'm proud of myself for getting it all out.

Neji has a dazzling face partially because of the cream color of the skin and the translucence of the blue-gray eyes.

The downside is how easily he can arrange these features in such a way as to look like a stone mask, flawless on the surface but ultimately unreadable.

I chance a look at the rest of him and notice that his face is the only thing not betraying what he thinks.

His hand, resting on the armrest, is curled into a fist. His shoulders are set like a lawyer's in court and his jaw is mildly clenched. Even the most vague glance would've told anyone looking that he was mad.

The only question now was how much.

Finally, he shows signs of life and calmly uncurls his fist, "Are you serious?"

I frown and look him in the face.

The mild way he asks the question gives me the impression that he's taking a one-step-removed approach to this and that scares me a little.

I'll say I was scared but definitely a little mad too.

I seriously expected more then this vague reaction but then again, at the time, I really had no idea how hurt he'd been or how mad he'd been either.

"What do you think?"

I don't mean to snap, but no one ever does.

Neji lowers his eyes to the mats and speaks in a quiet, controlled voice, "I think you should leave"

I might have expected him to be livid or something but I really wasn't expecting him to send me home like a stray cat.

My anger flares and dies so completely in less then a second that I feel drained the instant that the words really register and I move to stand dazed practically into docile silence.

This isn't like me and I know that but my stomach is heavy and I feel sick.

I won't…can't fight Neji, not with words and certainly not with feelings.

Despite everything, I feel relieved.

This is one less thing on my back.

I don't feel less guilty for doing what I did, but I do feel better for not lying the rest of the way.

I realize, with some measure of satisfaction, walking the way I came, back to the veranda that I could've easily not said anything and had a perfectly nice afternoon with Neji but then again, it would've slowly eaten at me anyway.

It's still raining when I step out onto the wooden veranda.

I'm still dazed enough not to notice Neji following me.

I pause, looking listlessly out at the garden and pulling on my mechanics suit and afterwards, my shoes, and finally, my mask.

As automatic as breathing, it slips on and I grin, my eyes saving my tears for later, when I'm alone.

I slip on my shoes and shake open my striking, bright orange umbrella and look at Neji over my shoulder.

He's frowning very deeply, the lines on his forehead dipping with the depth or the expression and holding the book he'd given me before.

I turn and smile at him and he steps close enough to zip up my mechanics suit a little more.

My grin doesn't waver and I cock my head instead, waiting to see what he'll say to me.

Silent still, he hands me the book.

My smile widens a fraction, "Thanks"

Neji's face clears and he looks at me the way he might look at Sasuke if he showed up wearing a pink dress: blankly.

I stop him when he moves to put on his shoes, probably to see me out, "I'll be okay, S'not far"

Neji nods, blank-faced as ever but we both turn at the sound of approaching footsteps.

Another wooden door slides open father along the veranda's walkway and Hinata pokes her head out, startled when she sees Neji and me.

I grin at her, "Hey, Hinata"

She blushes furiously and stammers something back.

I step off the veranda and step into the rain, my hair catching water almost instantly and wave goodbye to Neji.

I catch Hinata's puzzled expression but don't stop, turning to leave with even steps, allowing my smile to fade and my face to crumbled only when I'm safely down the block and curled up in the back on the bus.

"You look like crap"

I want to tell Shika to fuck off but that's not in my best interests considering Haku had a bit of an emergency and had to take off on sort notice.

I figured I could endure Shika until he came back.

I'm beginning to realize that I may be wrong.

I made it home in mostly one piece, having cried whatever I was going to on the bus ride home.

Thankfully, not many people are in a traveling mood on Sundays and I didn't have anyone odd starring at me or asking questions.

Shika lightens up with the crap when all I do is give him a red-rimmed glare, my eyes still not in the best of shape.

He sighs and disappears into my kitchen.

Shika really knows how to pick the best time to PMS.

I bury my face in my pillow and sigh deeply, suddenly more tired then I've been in a long time.

I hear Shika pad back into my room and feel it when he sits on my bed, "Did you see this?"

I pull my face out of my pillow not out of curiosity but more because of the odd tone Shika was using.

He's holding a back bag, the little stiff-carton kind that they give your stuff in at those little posh boutiques downtown. A spidery script across it face in lemon yellow reads: 'Baby Spider'

I frown at it because it can't possibly be mine, "Where you find that?"

Shika shrugs, "Haku said it was from Gaara"

I roll onto my back and hold out my hand for the small bag, "He came by today?"

Shika shakes his head, "Left it here since yesterday apparently"

It occurs to me, while I sit up, that he might have bought it while I was grocery shopping yesterday.

Shika gets off the bed and quietly shuts the door as he leaves.

Listen until I hear him switch on the TV and open the baggy.

Inside the tiny bag, I find an equally tiny note and a rectangular box about as long as my hand and about as heavy as a bottle of nail polish.

I ignore the note and open the black box and let the tube inside slip out into my palm.

I turn it this way and that but don't quite get what it is at first glance.

Unscrewing the lip and pulling it open I see that it's eyeliner.

Putting it away, I open the note and read Gaara's clean, gothic script: Real men wear eyeliner!

The exclamation mark makes it sound like on of the Ten Commandments.

I wouldn't have mattered how tired and miserable I was, there's nothing that could've stopped me from laughing.

Scrambling out of under my sheets, I bounce over to my desk and grab a hand mirror sitting there.

Settling back on my bed, legs crossed, I carefully unscrew the cap again and shakily start to apply the liner.

It's hella funny because my hands are so shaky and my eyes so damn puffy, I can hardly draw the lines straight enough and settle for drawing progressively thicker liners until I've drawn on panda eyes almost like Gaara's.

The effect is immediate: my red eyes look 100 times less red and my tan skin makes a sharp contrast to the deep black around my eyes.

It's pretty obvious that this isn't my thing but I certainly feel better.

Getting out of bed, I pad down the hall to the bathroom and wash what I can of it off.

As is, there are still faintly dark circles around my eyes.

You'd think it'd look like I hadn't been sleeping but it ends up hiding some of the puffiness and draws attention to the blue of my eyes.

Grinning at my pale reflection, I towel off and turn to go in search of Shika.

Okay, yeah, I had a hell of a day, and I could mope if I wanted to, but the fact remains that I still have school tomorrow and I still have to deal with my problems.

I can't drop dead and stop living just because I had one crap day!

I'm not a quitter or a coward so my time would be better spent resting up for tomorrow.

Besides, with all that's going on, I'm learning to deal with some things that were really weighing on me.

Now, if I could pencil in some more drawing time and maybe some hide-from-the-world time, I might just be set.

I can only do my best and I took the first step to changing, really, today.

I step into the living room to find Shika putting some of my art away in the corner.

I catch sight of the one I did with Neji and turn on my heel and march myself back to my room.

I crawl back into bed and will myself to sleep.

I'll pretend to be superman tomorrow, but right now, all I wanna do is sleep.

Ebra: This chappie was for me to get back on track, so please review and I'll be posting at the end of the week sometime Jane!


	10. Half Heart Samurai PrtOne

**Ebra:** Big thanks for the reviews and confirming that your all still reading my crap. I didn't want to break Naruto and Neji up but this is going somewhere, I promise. As for Gaara and Sasuke, I'm having fun developing a bit more of their characters and I'm working harder at making Neji up as I go.

Please Read, Review and Enjoy!

'**Purple Cocaine Prison'**

**Half Heart Samurai**

It's official. I want Shikamaru castrated, eaten alive or otherwise outta my hair. I wouldn't care who did it, how much I would have to pay or whether or not Haku would be angry with me.

There is only so much a guy of seventeen can handle before he cracks.

Haku ignores the way I roll down both windows on either side of me to stop Shika from hearing what I'm muttering under my breath.

We're sitting in Haku's green VW-bug and on our way to the 'institution'.

I slept badly, I'll admit, but it wasn't like I'd planned to wake up half the country when I visited my OWN kitchen in my OWN place to get a glass of water at five in the morning. I hadn't intended to drop my second favorite mug on the wooden floor, shattering it in two clean halves, and waking up Shika, who just had to happen to be a light sleeper.

He's been nasty ever since.

I'll say that I didn't mean to do it.

I'll apologize, even.

But I will not put up with being treated like a six-year-old kid who pissed in his bed and made his daddy change the sheets.

We've been sour to each other all morning so far and if it weren't for Haku, under threat of asking Zabuza to drive us instead, did we manage to back off each other. As it is, Shika will be lucky if I ever speak to him again.

I have to concede, though, that all this early-morning stupidity has kept my mind off Neji until now.

I won't pretend that I'm not absolutely dreading having to face him, speak to him or even breath the same air as him, but some part of me refuses to extend my weekend and take Monday off for needed recovery of my person.

I am also encouraged by the fact that my stomach has stopped hurting enough to have let me have a small breakfast of pineapple chunks and strawberry yogurt. Unfortunately, it started rebelling again at the sight of Haku's bold breakfast, which included a chocolate-apple and banana sandwich.

I am not a wuss, but the sight of that going down isn't for anyone with a weak constitution.

I'm comforted by the fact that I have cooking first thing this morning after math and will be able to hole up and avoid Neji for the day. Cooking means I will only have to deal with Sasuke and have Gaara to back me up.

Haku's out-loud musing interrupts my thoughts: "Do you guys think people would participate in a Easter-egg hunt? If Student Council planned one, I mean"

Shika raises an eyebrow, "We are seventeen, not six"

I 'humph' from the backseat, "I wouldn't think someone like you would make the distinction"

"You've always been the exception to the rule" Shika shoots back nastily

Oh god, how long is this going to continue?

Haku echoes my feelings, "Be nice Shika or simmer down at least. I asked a question, I didn't signal the beginning of Round two"

Shika shrugs like he doesn't care, "Easter-egg hunting would be way too complicated to plan. Our school has what, five separate buildings?"

Haku smiles, "That's true, but I was thinking we could do it on a smaller scale. Besides, the egg hunt wouldn't be the only activity planned for the day"

I perk up at the mention of 'other activities', "You guys wanna plan an Easter-day or something?"

Haku grins at me in the rearview mirror, "Something like that. Tuesday's a half-day because of the east wing renovations to both gyms"

"But Easter's on Sunday" I say, curious.

Haku laughs, "Who cares, really? The fact is that none of the teachers want to have to teach students too restless to listen because they're daydreaming about the day ending at noon"

Shika smirks, "Unless you're Kakashi-San and your whole life is about daydreaming"

I want to be mad at Shika and but I can't help laughing at that. Besides, I don't feel too bad because Haku laughs too.

Haku reaches up to pull the hair out of his face, "Okay, that's not nice. Everybody knows Kakashi-Sensei just happens to be a serene guy"

"Yeah, right, he's so laid-back that he's asleep half the time"

Shika looks at me from where he's sitting and grins, "That's why he always notices when you don't come back after you ask to go to the washroom"

I won't pretend not to notice that Shika talking to me civilly isn't the apology that it is. Extracting an actual verbal equivalent would only be painful. Instead, I play along, "Hey, that was only because Kiba kept trying to deck me and you weren't helping"

Shika shrugs at me, insolent as ever, "You're not a girl and I'm no prince charming"

I laugh at that and we settle down.

Haku sighs noticeably, "About time you two made up"

"We haven't" we say simultaneously and Haku erupts into laughter, "Of course you haven't"

We both fall silent and grin at each other.

We don't talk much as the school comes into view and I finally roll up the back windows to savor the last few minutes of safe silence I'm going to have for the rest of the day.

Haku parks neatly and I don't move as Haku and Shika climb out of the front seats. I watch the busses pulling up along the curb and the tens of students that start pilling off as they stop.

I close my eyes a second, take a breath and grab my bag while I haul ass outta the car.

Haku locks the doors and tells us he'll be missing at lunch; he's taking off with Zabuza.

Shika doesn't say anything or tell me to hurry up. He stands still next to me as I scan the sea of cars for the silver Audi I know has got to already be here.

I'm relieved and disappointed when I catch sight of it, as expensive looking as ever, sitting by itself in a private parking space, away from everyone else and secluded.

I always though Neji was part of a whole other class of person, so much farther up on the food chain then me that we couldn't possibly have been right for each other. Seeing the car, aloof and by itself reminds me so much of Neji himself that I find myself frowning.

Shika rattles my arm gently, "Let's go"

Reluctantly, I turn and follow him to the west-entrance.

It's easy to feel anonymous with all the students milling about inside. I take comfort in the fact that I'm not going to be alone anywhere I happen to bump into Neji today.

I don't see him when I get to my locker and I don't scan the crowd anymore then I have to. In less then five minutes, homeroom will start in my math class and I'll get an eyeful of Neji whether I feel ready or not.

I can't fathom what mood he'll be in.

When I spilled my guts and fessed up yesterday he'd seemed every bit as mad at me as he'd seemed betrayed and disappointed.

Mad is something I can deal with: I have a way with a person that sometimes inspires irritation.

But disappointment or betrayal? I was pretty sure last time I checked that I certainly wasn't inspiring of those.

I am about as enthusiastic about making it to class on time as I ever am; I feel like I'm going to see a public execution.

Specifically? Mine.

I plunk into my seat, the one off Neji's right and sit motionless for a bit, listening to other students walk in.

Neji helps out on student council, though I don't actually think he's an official member, and is sometimes excused from missing homeroom.

He's here but not in class yet so I breathe a little easier.

Class starts soon after morning announcements and attendance. The whole time, I'm hyper aware of the empty seat at my side.

Class continues like it would even in the twilight zone.

We go over homework questions, were taught another half-hour lesson, we're assigned homework and given our week-day assignment sheet and then were left to ourselves to work or talk the rest of the period, all of ten minutes.

By now, I've lost any paranoia that had managed to store up inside me.

Yeah, all right, Neji's mad at me, and I really wish he weren't, and that we could try and talk, or something, anything, would be better then this uncertainty about where we stand on this issue.

I'm in the boat at sea and I wanna know what the lighthouse is up to.

Even when he asked me to leave, he didn't seem all that happy to see me go. I also take comfort from the fact that I know he likes to have the whole story. He didn't ask me any questions or raze me but I get the feeling he will, when he gets off being mad.

Even after all I've been saying I still wince when a shadow, out of the corner of my eye (I'm doodling all over my assignment) sits down and starts to copy the homework.

I don't look right away; I take a few breaths first.

I sit up casually and stare at the board and nothing else.

Neji pauses briefly next to me. His pen stills and he resumes more slowly after a second or so.

I'm about to suck it up and ask him if he wants to borrow my notes but he beats me to it.

Ruffled, I flip back three pages in my notebook and look at him when I hand it over.

He's not looking at me, his eyes still on his own notepad, re-reading what he copied down. His hand is held out on my direction and I place the book in it.

He accepts it with a murmured 'Thank you' and is about to shell up again when I notice something very surprising.

Once, when I was a little bit younger, about four or five years ago, I had a fight with Tsunade-Hag. Not the kind any normal person would have over the minor disagreement we had but an actual fist-to-face showdown.

Obviously, I lost.

The point was, though, that I won my way and even managed to placate Tsunade afterwards.

She'd laughed about how bratty I was and had given me the necklace from around her neck.

It's an odd necklace: made of silver and crystal.

It's special to me because it's the first ever gift that precious to someone that had been given to me. I can't remember why or how she managed to talk me into taking it, but I did in the end.

After, it became as much a part of my person as Tsunade-Hag had. They were both rare commodities in their own way and I respected one by never wearing it and the other by never leaving her to her own modus operandi.

I'd made a serious decision Sunday to follow through with my plan and decided whatever happened, I would want Neji to have it: the necklace.

It's a bit surprising to see it slung around his neck, the crystals shinning, barely there, against his skin.

It's so surprising that my fingers unintentionally squeeze the notebook on it's way out of my grip.

Neji pauses and looks up slowly, in my direction.

He's left his hair down and slung it over his shoulder, like he likes too on occasion and left his bangs to invade his face but brushed them to one side in a way that covered almost all of one eye and left the other with a stray strand or two of dark, dark brown hair.

His face is carefully expressionless; eyes the only thing telling me that he'd be frowning if he wasn't made of cream colored marble.

Caught like a deer in headlights, I blush, mumble a quick apology and let go.

Neji takes the notebook absently but keeps looking at me.

"I'm sorry", I say again, honestly, feeling like I'm not apologizing for the same thing the second time.

Neji's eyes slide off my face and back to the notebook that he lays flat before starting to copy the notes in smooth, precise handwriting, "I know"

Somehow, I get the feeling he's not talking about the same thing either.

My cooking class is a haven with its soft orange cabinets and its wall of windows. I avoided going to my locker on the off chance that I might bump into Neji and have to face him AGAIN after math class.

I sit at my table, third in the middle row, near the back and wait for Gaara and Sasuke to show up.

Left to my own devices, I haven't got the energy to do anything other then put my head down.

The stool next to me scraping the floor as someone pulls it back makes me lift my head.

Gaara turns his eyes to mine when I look up and a relieved smile spreads across my face.

Gaara sets his black satchel bag down on the counter and leans over enough to lay a cool hand on my forehead.

Grinning, I look him over.

His eyes are rimmed in their usual black and a touch of lime-ish green is dusted on his eyelids. His new lip piercing looks like it belongs on his face and his neck is bare except for a light brown, heavy leather collar with a small pair of brass-colored bells hanging from it. The black headband he's wearing pulls his short bangs off his face and makes the tattoo on his forehead more starkly visible then it already is.

He's wearing a black t-shirt with a portrait-sized picture Albert Einstein on it and a dress shirt underneath. He rolled up the sleeves so that his matching light brown, cat-patterned bracelets are visible. His pants are capris, as usual, but look like they're made of soft leather. A studded hot-pink belt is settled low on his hips and he's wearing black and blood red-patterned Chinese slippers.

He looks like the most adorable tourist I've ever seen.

Gaara smoothes my left eyebrow down and pulls his hand away, "You look tired"

I shrug and stretch my arms on the counter, "I had a fun weekend"

I'm amazed at how un-sarcastic I manage to sound.

Gaara sits and puts one of his hands in mine, "Looks like it"

I'm thankful for the way he dances around asking what's wrong and lets me adjust to his, although comforting, awfully striking presence.

Playing with his fingers, I resist the urge that wells up in me to sigh, "That bad?"

Gaara hums an acknowledging sound, "You dressed to match"

I look down at myself, suddenly self-conscious.

I'm wearing a pair of my most worn in jeans. I'll be the last to admit that they are probably pretty close to being too small to be sufficiently baggy enough to be considered cool but Haku says they just look comfortably snug. I didn't have to bother with a belt and just picked the first shirt my hands fell on this morning. Turns out to be a holey gray tee I used to like to sleep in until I got in a wrestling match with Tsunade-Hag and she stretched it out.

I look like I slept at somebody's place and hadn't bothered to go home and freshen up before school.

I wince and accidentally squeeze Gaara's fingers in my faint distress.

Gaara lifts his hand out of mine and uses it to tap me gently under my chin, "It's not that bad"

"What's not that bad?"

Sasuke is standing in front of our workstation.

It takes me a minute to remember to say good morning because I'm too busy starring at him.

Anyone else would look ridiculous in a bright green and yellow Nike tracksuit with black hair laced with deep space blue highlights. Not surprisingly, Sasuke is not one of them.

Gaara's forehead wrinkles noticeably when he gets an eyeful of Sasuke's suit, "Hn"

Sasuke shrugs at Gaara and sits on my other side, "Good morning to you too"

He sounds sarcastic but all Gaara does is narrow his eyes a fraction more, "Ah"

He's wearing such confounded expression that I burst out laughing.

Sasuke, who can't be bothered, ignores us both.

Class is a quiet affair with me so occupied that I forget my odd five-minute moment with Neji back in math class. Our teacher is big on etiquette and was planning on having us play waiter and waitress at a café for the teachers in the lounge, which is smart because neither I nor Gaara nor Sasuke had any interest whatsoever in proper fork and spoon placements…unless marks were on the line, I guess.

After we'd had our heads thoroughly pumped full of useless know how, we were instructed to find partners, preferably not in our group, to practice on.

Sasuke didn't have to ask any of the girls: they flocked to him.

Since Gaara didn't look like he was going to make any effort in asking anyone to do anything, the teach assigned him Brie, a girl sitting in the front row and noticed me stranding around and assigned me Stella-Maria, a girl in the workstation on our other side.

For my part, it was pretty easy and Stella didn't tattle on me when I got the spoons wrong. She spent the better part of her time laughing at me behind her napkin.

Sasuke wasn't getting any complaints because, obviously, he's Sasuke.

Gaara, on the other hand, became the center of attention not two minutes after we'd started.

First, the teacher had to get Gaara to smile, a requirement that made Gaara's forehead wrinkle indiscernibly in annoyance while his face remained smooth as ever, "I don't smile for strangers"

Then, he was asked to at least look enthusiastic which earned her only a stony face and an air of increasing irritation.

Things went on until the teacher decided that Gaara had to at least speak a little to which Gaara's only response was to narrow his eyes to slits and bestow her a calculating gaze.

At this point, it was clear Gaara was categorizing her as the most annoying living thing he had ever come across.

Aware that enough was, finally, enough, she let him be.

That isn't to say that I wasn't disappointed.

Gaara had kept his temper but hadn't managed to mask his obvious, and sudden contempt for the poor woman.

Stella and I had to write lines like pre-schoolers for laughing so much.

Gaara is in a raw mood because the teacher finally figured out how to get a bit of life into him. She decided, on a whim, that he was going to be the headwaiter.

She was smart enough to announce this as we were leaving and shut the door firmly in time to miss being incinerated by Gaara's suddenly murderous expression.

Despite his grace and smooth idiom, he's literally simmering under the surface. Normally jade colored eyes have darkened to cloudy coral and his movements have a slightly aggressive flavor to them, like barely controlled violence.

Sasuke stands closer to him then even I dare to and manages to look quite at ease while he's at it.

I take it as an opportunity to watch them interact for a bit.

When Gaara opens his locker with precise, sharp movements, Sasuke tosses his books on the bottom and holds a hand out for mine.

Gaara pauses not even a second and takes my books from me.

Sasuke started it but Gaara finishes it.

While were making our silent way through the crowds to get to the cafeteria, Gaara seems to move effortlessly despite the limited space. Bluntly, I realize it's because he's walking shoulder to shoulder with Sasuke and they both have that 'Move-it-or-Lose-It' face on.

Sasuke admittedly, isn't particularly as violent looking as Gaara and actually just looks impatient.

Gaara's fierce enough for the both of them as is.

Nearing the cafeteria, I catch sight of Shino.

I haven't had a lot of time to spend with him, but seeing as how he's headed for the art room, I decide to join him.

Sasuke gives my back a puzzled look but Gaara had already nodded his assent and was stepping firmly into the cafeteria, not looking back again.

After a reflective moment, Sasuke goes after him.

I grin faintly at the odd way they seem to fit together and head off after Shino.

By the time I make it to the stairs up, the halls are clear and I breath easier.

Don't get it wrong. I like people as much as the next guy but crowds of starving teenagers are no picnic to navigate, even in good weather.

I take the stairs two at a time and run across the glass walkway to make it up in record time.

Shino has already settled in, his oversized sweater neatly folded over the back of a chair and is standing in a black long-sleeve turtleneck and black jeans. He's still wearing his sunglasses indoors and has his hair held back with the same navy blue bandana.

Stepping quietly into the room, I pause near the first desk, "Hey Shino"

He inclines his head and motions me closer.

I walk over and stand at his elbow.

We're looking at a canvas sitting on the floor, propped up against the far wall and nearly as tall as Shino and I. At first, I can't make out much besides the prominent colors: glossy black and peppered red.

Stepping out from behind Shino, I take a closer look: their ladybugs. Granted, there must be thousands of them, but this close, you can see the sheer amount of detail in each of them and even tell one small form from the others.

Shino looks at me inquiringly when I laugh.

"This is really cool", I tell him over my shoulder, seriously impressed, "Must've taken ages"

Shino accepts my compliment like he did my hello, with a slight inclination of his head, "Worked on the weekend"

I raise an eyebrow when I hear this, "You were here on the weekend?"

Shino nods once and takes a seat at one of the broad, tilted-face desks, "Dad teaches art"

I can't help but laugh a little. I've seen Shino's dad a few times and it's odd to think that he'd be an art teacher. He looks like a grumpy samurai.

Shino looks at me curiously, "Going to join the art club?"

I raise my eyebrows at him, "If you'll still have me, sure"

Shino nods, accepting that: "We meet Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays…sometimes on the weekends"

"Cool", I say, starting to walk around the art room, looking at the types and qualities of the stuff around.

Working in an art's supply store makes me a stickler when it comes to what I use to draw.

Shino shuffles a few papers behind me, "Come sit"

I promptly bounce over and sit where Shino makes me, "What are we doing?"

Shino sets a mechanical pencil down in front of me, its bright purple plastic catching and keeping my eyes while Shino puts an eraser down too, "Try some freehand"

I take the pencil, judging the weight and liking it, and pull a face, "Draw WHAT exactly?"

Shino cocks his head, "Freehand could mean anything"

That doesn't do anything for my question but I decide that there is no point in waiting for a deeper answer since Shino moves to the edge of the room where the large windows are and turns on the CD player on the broadest window sill.

Strange music fills the room. There aren't any words but it's got like a Spanish club sound to it, but it's not the kind of music I listen to.

Stalling before I try to draw, I watch Shino move to sit at his own desk, "What is this?"

Shino picks up his pencil and starts to sketch something, "Gotan Project"

Again, if I'm waiting for him to elaborate then I'm out of luck.

I look at my blank piece of paper and frown at it. Shino said anything but the problem is that I haven't BEEN drawing; I've kind of forgotten how to start.

It used to come easily, details and memories, but my head is momentarily blank.

It's like it's on pause: plenty of ideas going in and being put under lock and key, limited access, and I can't conjure up a single thought as to what I'd like to draw.

I listen to the music a bit more and slowly start to sketch. My initial start is a little tentative to be normal but I force my reluctance aside and continue.

Gaara's angry face starts to form on the page.

Dark eyes, shaded heavily, with dark rings around them glare at something just off the right of my page. His gently sloping nose a passing thought as I move to his mildly pouting mouth. His lips are the tiniest bit pinched, like he's on the verge of scowling but doesn't quite. I hollow out his cheeks a bit to make him look older.

I draw the lip piercing as an afterthought and carefully start to sketch the Japanese tattoo from memory. Something tells me it's off, but it looks right. I leave the hair and start on the slope of his neck, a little tense to match his mood, and his collarbones.

I add his shoulders after, also as gently sloping as his neck. Gaara's got a flexible frame, not small exactly but clearly delicate in a way that makes him easy to recognize in anything he wears and draws attention to his person.

I start the hair when I'm satisfied with the definition in the shoulders. I make sure it falls a bit into the side of his face to leave his tattoo visible and make it longish around his ears and follow the line of his neck but never make it to his shoulders.

It takes me a second to realize that my paper-Gaara has no ears.

I draw them and try not to make it look like they were added after and they come out all right, I suppose.

I look at the picture every which way and can't decide if it's finished or not.

Biting my lip in mild irritation, I shadow the dips in his collarbones and the place a shadow would fall on his neck from his chin and shade the small area behind his nose and across the edge of his face where hair falls across it.

"Looks finished"

I jump and drop the pencil. It clatters loudly and Shino moves to pick it up.

I turn back to the picture, thoughtful, "Think so?"

Shino nods, sure, "Anymore could be just too much"

I frown when I hear this because I feel as though I should add more.

Shino hands me the pencil and elaborates, "Look at the eyes and the mouth…the way his whole face draws down with his expression"

In a way, looking at these key parts, I start to see what he means.

I put a lot of emphasis on his eyes and the set of his mouth, neck and shoulders. He looks guarded, wound up and defeated all in one expression.

"What's this song called?"

Shino listens to the fading music: "Whatever Lola Wants"

'Lola gets' my mind adds.

I grin at the picture, realizing that it **is** finished, and sign my name and the date in the bottom of the page before setting it down.

"You've had lessons?"

Shino's moved away and is packing up his own stuff.

"Nope, I taught myself. I watched cartoons on TV when I was a kid and used to sit around learning to copy things out on paper from memory. I can remember faintly being a kid and not having a camera…I made my own memories on paper so I could keep them…"

I stop myself from prattling by hurrying to clean up my own crap.

Those memories are the kind I have no interest in revisiting, especially since they are not all that clear to begin with.

Then something occurs to me: "Are you and me the only members?"

Shino nods, "Currently"

I purse my lip and think hard for a second, there's got to be someone I could ask to join in.

It occurs to me also that Shino might not like some of my noisier friends (Sasuke) or my more pessimistic friends (Shika) and might just need someone as quiet as he is…Hinata maybe?

She is nice. A little odd maybe, but definitely a nice person. And anyway, she looked like she could use a hobby that didn't involve going home to her mansion and sitting in padded rooms, reading books.

Not padded, of course: I'm being sarcastic, but I can imagine, faintly, what it must be like to live as protected a life as Hinata.

Neji told me a little about it once.

Actually, I double back on my thinking: Hinata can't go many places if she's not with Neji. Her dad's a bit overprotective of her and expects her home at certain times and blah.

So, basically, no Hinata without Neji.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out how long it took me to dismiss the idea altogether.

The bell rings while I try to find a place to put the stuff I borrowed.

Shino picks up my picture and tacks to the 'finished' art tag board in the room that is for displaying art. I want to protest, cause I want my picture back, but people are already filling into the room for class.

Shino raises an eyebrow at my clueless expression and grabs my wrist, leading me out of the room with a nod to his father.

Bio is nothing I'm wild about but I'm still thankful to get in right before the second bell.

Shika and Haku are arguing about something but fall silent when I get over. I plop down between them and ignore the way there are two pairs of eyes burning into my head on either side.

If they wanna know where I was at lunch so bad, they're gonna hafta ask.

I busy myself flipping my notebook open to our last set of notes and stare, resolutely, ahead.

Haku is the first to break the ice, "Shika worried till gray hair started showing"

I see Shika scowl darkly out of the corner of my eye and smile, unrepentant, "I was busy"

Shika snorts, "I bet"

I frown and shrug, "You could've asked Sasuke or Gaara where I was"

Haku and Shika look at each other and Haku explains: "They came into the café and Gaara was so cranky that they decided to take off"

My eyes widen until I'm sure they'll fall out, "With each other?"

Haku grins, "And they haven't been back since"

I settle back in my seat to go over how I feel about that. I know I said I wanted to play matchmaker but I figure if they manage on their own, that's fine also. Although, there's that huge possibility that I'm being stupid and that they are just developing a solid friendship, which could so be what's going on too.

Shika leans back on his stool so far, my hands itch to pull him back, "I saw them in the parking lot; they didn't leave"

Haku looks about as curious about that as I do, but Shika just smirks and clams up, happy to be in on something we have no idea about.

"Meanie", I say unnecessarily loud.

Shika smirks, as equally unrepentant as I was about his worrying, "I know"

Sasuke is slouching in his chair, his audio-notebook in his lap and looks so bored it isn't even funny.

Bio went by in a blur, since all Sensei did was chat out ears off about the beginning of evolution on the planet and now I'm in Spanish.

We're listening to a recording of a fairy tale told in Spanish and will have to answer a few questions about it. Since it's Monday, it's a welcome break from the work we normally have to do, which includes conversing only in Spanish while in the classroom.

That actually doesn't bother me because I like Spanish; it appeals to my tiny romantic side.

Sasuke ditched his Nike top and wrapped the long sleeves around his waist and is now going around in a deeply black shirt that looks a size or two too small with the way it clings to his skin.

I haven't worked up the courage to ask him about Gaara yet because I haven't thought of a way to voice it without it sounding like I'm trying to get all up into his business.

So I settle for actually listening to the audiotape.

Some part of me starts to think of Neji for the first time today.

I caught a glimpse of him talking to Hinata outside her home-economics class just a few doors down from here and literally stopped in my tracks.

It wasn't an intended reaction and it even got me more embarrassed then I would've liked since Neji also noticed when I was starring like I'd never seen him before.

Luckily, or mercifully, I ended up stopping Sasuke right behind me and he didn't take kindly to me holding up hall traffic.

He literally proceeded to frog march me into class.

I might have seen Neji scowl for real but it can't be sure and anyway, I shudder to think how annoyed he must have been if that was the case.

As is, the depression that hadn't managed to sneak up on me during the rest of Sunday is laying it on thick now that I'm no longer cloudy headed from bawling.

I miss him, absolutely and completely, in a way that disturbs me a little. I'm way more attached then even I was aware of and I wish that Neji would hurry up and talk to me.

To try and rid my head from increasingly pitiful thoughts, I reach across the table and pick up Sasuke's hand.

He flinches ever so slightly but I ignore it and push up the wristband he's wearing to have a look at the state of his healing wrist.

The bruises have mellowed out to an even blue green and seen to have shrunk a little.

I turn his vaguely larger hand in mine to look at the backside of the bruising and pull his wristband back when I'm satisfied.

My actions were cognizant in the way that they were careful but deliberate, giving Sasuke a chance to snatch his hand back if he wanted to.

He didn't.

I put it back down, into his lap, and turn back to listening to the audiotape, ignoring the way he's starring at me.

Now that I think seriously about it, I don't want to know if there is anything going on between Gaara and Sasuke, not because I don't care but because I sort of have my own problems to sort out and they are all revolving around one person right now: Neji.

It occurs to me that even while I was going out with Neji, there wasn't much about him that I actually knew. I thought I was going to get around to understanding him, eventually, but all that's put on hold until Neji says it's not.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm in no position to say anything.

That doesn't mean that I can't hurry things up, though, right?

Apprehension is a very nasty feeling to have.

It means your nervous, unsure and lacking confidence.

Shino ended up ambushing me outside Spanish and told me he had someone in mind for joining the art club.

Sasuke, who was never taught how to mind his own business anyway, tagged along.

Now, here's where the apprehension comes in.

It's the end of the day, so we're headed for the locker room to find this mystery person.

Clue number one as to why this is going to be scary comes from the fact that were headed for where my 1st period classes lockers are.

Clue number two comes from the fact that Shino says 'she's' got to ask her cousin if she can stay.

There ends up being no need for clue number three since we go around the locker to the side where I know Neji's is.

He's put his hair up in a loose ponytail and is placing the books he doesn't need into his locker with his habitual poise.

Hinata is standing between us and him, talking somewhat animatedly (for her, anyway) to him about something.

Shino doesn't seem to notice the way I freeze, but Sasuke looks at me oddly before putting his hand on the small of my back and urging me forward.

I don't look at him, but fix my eyes instead on Shino's hand on my wrist.

I feel like protesting or backing down, but the words are stuck in my throat.

A surprised squeak is the only thing I manage when I bump into Shino's back as he comes to a stop next to Hinata.

Hinata starts to talk to Shino but I don't register the words.

I look up, cautiously, to find Neji's eyes one me.

Sometime before I looked up, he slipped his shades on and his blue-turned-silver-eyes are studying me. It takes me a second to understand why they flick off me suddenly and rest somewhere to my left.

Sasuke is starring back at him with a look not nearly as disinterested as it should be.

Neji's face smoothes itself into indifference and he turns away from us altogether.

I feel Sasuke tense to move next to me and manage to reach out and grab hold of the back of his track pants.

He pauses, looking at me, frowning.

I shake my head, as if asking him not to do anything, and let go.

I'm not sure what that dismissive thing with Neji means but I do know that I don't want them fighting because of me.

Sasuke glares at me for a second but stands still. I look at him out of the corner of my eyes and see a surprised look pass over his features before he goes back to looking angry.

Just when I think I'm going to get out of this Scot free, Sasuke opens his mouth: "So, what, you throw him away when your done with him?"

Shino and Hinata both pause, questioning looks on their faces.

Neji doesn't even show sign of having heard.

Sasuke glares at his back, "Fine for you, I guess. Not like you actually liked him or anything"

I panic a little when I realize that although Shino and Hinata don't understand what Sasuke's talking about, both Neji and I do.

Neji pauses this time, turning to look at Sasuke.

It surprises me how mad he openly seems.

Sasuke shrugs at his look, "Must be nice to be above respecting feelings"

The locker room is crowded, at least thirty or so students standing in our immediate area, but the echo of metal creaking slightly when Neji smashes Sasuke into a locker is louder then the din around us.

Sasuke doesn't seem the least bit hurt if the way he smirks means anything.

Neji backs off him but Sasuke reaches up and shoves him off.

They square off silently until Sasuke decides to speak again, "What's the point of getting mad if what I say is true?"

Neji slowly pushes his shades up off his face and uses them to push his bangs back. He pushes his gray long sleeves up a little and steps back up into Sasuke's face, "Not here"

Sasuke shrugs, "Why? Because your not ready to deal with this yet?"

Neji shoves Sasuke back into the locker with such force that Sasuke slides into a crouch, frowning, "Wrong"

Neji scowls down at Sasuke, "You're the one who disregards peoples feelings"

Neji turns and points to me.

I suddenly become aware of the way my cheeks are burning, my eyes stinging.

I'm crying.

Not a lot but there are the telltale tears.

My fists are clenched and my whole body is telling me to get out of here. The only problem is that I can't make myself move.

I don't remember, later, which happened first: Shika and Haku showing up or Kakashi Sensei taking control of the situation.

I remember only the way Haku looped an arm through mine and the way Sensei managed to disperse the group of watchers.

It's okay, I suppose, since nothing after that much mattered anyway…

"Are you sure you can work today, Kiddo?"

Anko leans over me, her usual smile turned down at the edges.

I grin easily, my mask firmly in place by now, and put down my math textbook, "M'okay"

She frowns and jabs me in the ribs, "Sure you are…but, seriously, I'm asking cause your friends are gonna dismember me if anything happens while your on my watch"

I grin wider, for real, remembering the way Shika and Haku had dragged a loudly protesting Anko-San into the back room to 'talk' to her.

She smacks me in the back of the head and laughs at the way my eyes tear up, "Geez, kinds these days"

I shrug and rub the back of my head before shooing her off.

I get along better with her now then when I first started working for her, but that doesn't mean I'm any good at dealing with her crazy moods.

I turn back to my math and put it away, though it's only about half finished and stare outside for a bit.

It's still very light outside and I can't help but wonder if I've ever felt this lonely before.

Neji must be really mad, wherever he is right now, and the same goes for Sasuke.

I know that the tension between those two could have broken anytime but it's still not so great that it broke right then, over me, in the middle of a crowded locker room.

It's not so much the public part of it that bothers me: it's the personal part.

Although the fight was bad in every which way, some good came of it.

I finally understand a little more about Neji's personality.

He wears a mask too; probably even more well made then mine, and uses it all the time.

He is a calm person by nature but he seals his emotions through practice.

His lack of sentiment when I confessed wasn't a rejection; it was him stalling for the time he needed to think things over.

He dealt with it the way he usually does, by being calm, reserved and removed not because he doesn't care but precisely because he does.

Perfectionists don't like to make mistakes. They like to have a procedure or a strategy, even if it's one they unconsciously follow.

Basically, Neji isn't all that indifferent to what I feel; he's probably just trying to understand is all.

"Oy"

The deep voice startles me and I look up, the apology dying on my lips.

I recognize that tanned skin, sharp features, wicked grin: "Kisame"

He's leaning on the counter, almost eyes to eye with me and I almost topple off my stool with the realization.

His hand shoots out and grabs my upper arm, steadying me, laughing while he does it, "Long time no see, brat"

I stare at him, bewildered, while another familiar voice answers for me, "Your scarring him"

My eyes widen as Itachi pokes is head out over Kisame's shoulder, "Itachi-San"

Itachi taps Kisame's arm absently and the large hand let's me go slowly, ready to steady me a second time.

I flush a little and stand, "Was there something you needed?"

Itachi's eyes trace over my face, as if committing my slightly red eyes and flushed cheeks to memory.

Self-consciously, I grin to cover my embarrassment.

Kisame watches this with amusement, "Who's the one scarring him now?"

Itachi looks right at me then, "I don't scare him"

Kisame smirks, "What are you talking about? You scare everybody"

Itachi silently places a large package on the counter, maybe five or six wrapped canvases, "These are for Friday"

His eyes seem to ask me thousands of questions and I answer without realizing, "I'm okay. Nothing happened"

Kisame raises an eyebrow, still amused and Itachi nods slowly, "Good"

Anko makes a racket from the backroom, cursing loudly at someone over the phone.

I look at the packages, "Sasuke-"

Itachi interrupts, "Is fine"

Kisame scoffs, "Seemed pissed to me"

I shake my head, smiling weakly, "Then he's fine"

Itachi's hand lifts my chin until his eyes meet mine, "For Friday" he reminds me, quietly.

I nod, meekly, "I won't forget"

Itachi moves to leave but Kisame shoves his hands in his pockets, stalling, "He doesn't scare you?"

We're both looking at Itachi who's already outside and is waiting, "He does"

Kisame gives me a once over before leaving too, "He should"

I watch them leave, the knot in my stomach slowly relaxing when they finally disappear from my sight and I sit back down on my stool.

Today was a long day.

Ebra: Seriously late chapter and I apologize. About when Sasuke and Neji were fighting, the reason Sasuke started jiving on Neji is because he realized that it must be because Naruto's hanging out with him; he figured it was their rivalry thing. I'll explain more as things go along.

Hope everyone had a chill Christmas. Ja!


	11. Half Heart Samurai PrtTwo

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_**Ebra**_: Bonjour. No, I'm not dead, just really busy.

Please Read, Enjoy and Review!

**Warning(s):** Language! Lame jokes! Stuff that made me laugh!

**Disclaimer:** I make zero profit, but the fun I have writing is all mine!

**Note:** Written entirely in Naru's P.O.V and written to add depth…

I'm working on another chapter where I do everyone BUT Naruto's P.O.V, but I'm not sure whether that's a good idea or not. I'll see.

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**_"Purple Cocaine Prison'_**

**_Half-Heart Samurai Part. Two_**

* * *

It's funny when you wake up in the morning, fully intent on getting up and realize just how tired you still seem to be.

I worked yesterday, and cried again, and forgot to eat dinner and did a whole bunch of things that probably didn't help me very much, but it wasn't like I could go back in time and change things. All I can do now is get out of bed. Or try to.

I could not go today, if I wanted, since it's not like we'll be doing any real work, but I don't think I could stand staying here, by myself, thinking.

Thinking too much stopped me from sleeping very well last night.

I though of Sasuke and Gaara, who disappeared together at lunch, of Haku whose so absent lately, of Itachi, whose seems so dangerous and doesn't look it.

Most of all, I thought of Neji and me, or specifically, of what will become of Neji and me.

I've come to the conclusion that I am a very bad relationship person.

My stomach's been acting up lately, as if punishing me, if things weren't all jumbled up already.

Okay, enough moping.

I roll out of bed and head straight for the shower; pausing only to toss my walrus night hat in a corner of the room I'll remember to look for it.

It occurs to me, looking at my reflection, that I've changed a little.

My eyes seem so much bluer and my face so much more grown up. It even looks like I grew a bit. I grin at my reflection and am relieved when the smile looks genuine.

I choose my clothes carefully this morning, not keen on dressing up the same way I did yesterday, tired or no.

Decked out in black jeans, a bright orange long-sleeve top and a matching back vest, I escape into my kitchenette to find breakfast. An orange, a glass of milk and three pieces of toast later, I almost feel human. I'm sorely tempted to have ramen too but I figure I'll go to my favorite place at noon, when we're dismissed.

It's not a bad idea to treat yourself once in a while.

I fish my keys out of the jeans I wore yesterday and pull on my sneakers.

I'm about to leave when something in the back of my head tells me I forgot something.

I dump my backpack in the hallway and leave my door open while I jog down my hall and into my room.

I have to toss some clothes and a few mangas out of the way before I manage to dig it up, but I find it.

My sketchbook looks like a foreign object in my hands, almost like it's a stranger's and not really mine. I trace the worn leather edges with a finger and take it with me back out into the hall.

I lock my door and rummage for a pencil before setting out to wait for the bus.

More then half the pages are blank, perfectly white and lonely looking.

Ii occurs to me that I have some catching up to do.

* * *

School seems to be a little emptier than usual, but that's to be expected, since today is only a half-day.

I intentionally look for Neji in the locker room, but he isn't there. Probably helping out with Student Council, I suppose.

I have Physics first thing this morning and can't help dragging my feet a little on my way there. There isn't exactly anything urging me to hurry either.

Our class is full, which surprises me.

Stella Maria waves at me from the back and I realize that students whose other homerooms are empty came to visit their friends in our class.

Gaara's already here, though he seems a little out of it.

He's wearing a black, long-sleeve shirt and army print cargos. The black shirt has a fading sunset logo on it. The baby blue suspender he's wearing is lined with pins and he's got a black and white checkered scarf around his neck.

The matching mittens are sitting on the table.

I drop my books on the table and loop a finger through on of his belt loops, "Ohiyo"

Gaara shuts his eyes slowly and smiles very, very faintly, "Ohiyo"

With his eyes closed, I can tell that the rings around them seem much deeper and darker today the usual, or so it they seem.

Frowning, I sit down, not letting go of him, "I just though of something"

Gaara's eyes open slowly and he fixes me with a steady gaze, as if he'd not been so tired looking a moment ago, "Nani?"

I mull over what to say for a minute, "You wear eye stuff all the time right?"

Gaara blinks at me and blinks again as he turns his head away.

"But it's not all makeup, is it?"

Gaara tilts his head, feigning lack of understanding.

I shrug and let him go, "I just meant that I've never seen you without it and it sorta looks like, well, like your hiding something with it"

Gaara places one of his hands in mine, "Chronic Insomnia"

I give a start when I hear that.

We're both quiet for a minute and as if I didn't hear him say anything, I resume playing with his fingers, "Oh"

Gaara looks at me sharply, eyes narrowing slightly, "Why are you making that face?"

I look up, surprised, "What face?"

He just looks at me then, somehow managing to seem annoyed and confused all at once, "You look sad. Why?"

I grin and squeeze his cold hand in my warmer ones, "Because I always figured you were a stress case"

Gaara's face clears at my sarcasm and he shrugs, "Your hands are warm"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

Gaara looks away from me, though I know he's not ignoring me, "Caring people are warm"

I frown at Gaara's uncharacteristic chattiness, "So?"

Gaara shrugs again, "My hands are cold"

I realize that they are extremely cold, but he's moving isn't he? Living and breathing? Obviously, he doesn't understand himself very well, "Your caring: your way's a little unconventional"

Gaara still isn't looking at me, "I'm unconventional"

I grin, "I wouldn't like you so much if you weren't"

He finally turns back to look at me, "Hn"

I grin at his minutely muddled expression and hand him his gloves.

He takes them, puts them on, and places his hand back in mine after.

I've never seen Gaara in a mood like this before or as talkative, but it isn't a bad side of him. He's a private guy, so hearing anything about him is always really cool even if it's something as bad as chronic insomnia.

Come to think of it: why's he so tired in the first place? If the Insomnia's chronic, why does he look extra tired today? Does it have anything to do with Sasuke? Is it even any of my business?

Gaara's looking at me again, "Let's go"

I stare at him.

He elaborates slowly, as if talking to a kid, "First period classes are reporting to their second period teacher. We'll be staying with Kakashi all morning"

I raise an eyebrow, "Says who?"

Gaara narrows his eyes at me, "There was an announcement"

I grin sheepishly at him, "I'm a little preoccupied, okay?"

Gaara nods and stands.

We're still holding hands as we leave class to head for the Gym.

"Who's dumbass idea was this?"

* * *

Kiba's bitching because although we were asked to go to our second period class, ours happened to be in the gym, which is currently under renovation.

Sasuke shows up with Haku and Shika in tow and all three come and clump together with Gaara and I.

Haku seems extremely pleased with himself though Shika looks skeptical to say the least.

I wonder what's up.

Shino wanders in last and also comes to clump with us.

At this point, it's obvious that either Kakashi-Sensei slept in or got run over by something on his way here. Though both are possibilities, neither one seems more likely then the other.

Tired of standing, I crouch against the wall. Gaara steps back to keep our hands together but doesn't sit himself. Haku notices and comes to sit by me.

Shika and Sasuke stay standing and Shino joins us squatters.

Haku checks his watch, "He's pretty late"

Shika makes a really bored face, "When isn't he?"

Shino pushes his shades further up his nose, "Where's Neji?"

"Good question", I muse out loud.

Everyone's starring at me.

I grin to cover my discomfort.

While we were on our way here, Gaara filled me in, in very few words, about how everyone had more or less heard about Sasuke's fight with Neji. No one really knew what I had to do with it, but weird rumors were circulating about it anyway.

I wasn't very bothered, but I can say I was relived when Gaara related a few theories to me. It didn't sound like anyone even faintly had any idea of the truth.

Come to think of it, I haven't been too worried about seeing Neji anymore. Maybe it's because I think I've got some part of him figured out or maybe it's because he still seems to want to give me a chance and although I'm still having a hard time getting over how he reacted yesterday, I'm kinda happy about it too.

Shika shrugs, "Who cares"

The attention switches from me to him almost instantly.

Shika shrugs again, on purpose, and sighs, "More importantly, who thinks we should just skip and grab an early lunch?"

Haku makes a face at the suggestion, "Kakashi won't be late enough for us to consider taking off on him"

Gaara tugs on my hand, "We should just go"

I stand and look at Haku.

His brow is scrunched up in concentration: probably deliberating.

Sasuke runs his hand through his hair, "I'm with Gaara"

Shino studies the watch on his left wrist, "We won't be missed"

That's true. All the other classes are nearly empty. No one really bothered to show up in the first place.

I give Gaara a long look, "Go where?"

He deliberately shrugs.

I grin at him, "Anywhere but here, right?"

He blinks slowly at me, obviously finding the answer obvious.

Haku sighs dramatically, "Well, I suppose-"

Shika cuts him off, "Okay, we're outta here"

* * *

We dump our book bags in Shino's looker as we head out the Eastern entrance and go for the bus stop. We've managed to agree on going downtown but the part about what we'd be eating was still up in the air.

Haku made a show a making sure Kakashi-Sensei's Vespa wasn't in the parking lot before we were allowed to take off.

I almost died laughing when we got on the bus because Gaara didn't bother to show his bus pass and proceeded to drag us all to the back.

Gaara sits smack in the middle of the back row. I sit on his right and Shika sits in the space between the window and me. Haku sits next to Gaara's other side and Sasuke sits next to him; Shino sits in a seat perpendicular to Shika and me.

Haku, who habitually doesn't take the bus, seems to find it beyond amusing to find one of those young-adults free speech newspapers wedged in the space between Gaara and himself.

It definitely looks like it's seen better days and Shika says so.

Haku ignores him and opens it up somewhere in the middle and declares to us, "Pick up lines"

Gaara peers at the paper and Shika rolls his eyes.

Haku pretends not to notice our overall lack of response and starts reading: "The word of the day is 'legs'. Let's go back to my place and spread the word"

I find myself laughing a little, "Oh, that's lame"

Haku grins at me over the top of the paper before resuming: "How about you sit on my lap and we'll see what pops up?"

Sasuke shakes his head, "Still lame"

Haku shuffles the paper: "If I could rearrange the alphabet, I'd put U and I together"

I grin and Shika snorts, "Who would ever say that?"

Haku sticks out his bottom lip, "It's cute"

Nobody says anything to that.

Haku shrugs and flips the page: "Great Reasons to be a Guy"

Shika groans, "God, no more"

We all ignore him.

"You can open all your own jars"

Sasuke smirks, "Except if your Naruto"

I scowl at him, "Funny coming from a Prima Donna"

"Hush!" Haku says, "… 'Everything on your face stays its original color' "

Sasuke makes a show of looking at Gaara.

Gaara's only answer is to brandish a pin near his shoulder that says: 'Real Men Wear Eyeliner!'

We all laugh at that.

Haku scans the page, " 'you are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes…'"

We all look at Sasuke and Shino speaks up for the second or third time today, "Obviously untrue"

Sasuke'd rather scowl then answer.

Gaara reads: "Gas, at either ends, is cool" in a monotone voice with a perfectly straight face.

We crack up so hard, nearly everyone on the bus, mostly elderly types, turn and give us disapproving looks.

Haku wipes tears from the corner of his eye while we stand to get off the bus, "And no one wanted me to read it!"

* * *

"You're a vegetarian?" Sasuke seems to find it weird.

Shino shrugs and Haku muses out loud that he's forgotten to tell Zabuza where he'd be.

Oddly enough, Neji chooses that moment to pop into my mind. I haven't seen him all day and the though makes me vaguely uncomfortable. I'd have liked to know where he was but I guess I've temporarily lost the right to wonder about that. We still aren't officially back together yet…

Gaara's back to holding my hand and I glance at him to take my mind off of things.

His tattoo's wrinkled up faintly, the only way you can tell he's frowning, and his mouth is twisted up in a way that makes him look frankly disgruntled, and that's saying a lot since he rarely makes faces of any kind.

"What?" I ask, completely concerned

Gaara doesn't answer but his stomach growls loudly.

Shino and Sasuke, who'd started an argument on the virtues of eating properly from two different points of views, fall silent and Haku laughs.

Shika snorts, "This guy's the only who seems to know hat the hell we should be doing"

I cut my eyes at him, "So what do we eat, smart guy?"

Shika shakes his head like I asked a stupid question and points to a place across the street, "Pizza"

I look at Gaara, who seems agreeable and then across to Sasuke and Shino who shrug, equally agreeable, at each other.

Haku smiles at Shika for an intervention well done. Shika, in turn, glares back at him and mutters under his breath, "…I'm a damn babysitter"

Haku never stops grinning and doesn't bat a lash at Shika's grumbling, "You probably love it"

* * *

Haku leaves with Shino sometime after we're done eating because Shino has to go home and Haku needs to go meet up with Zabuza.

Gaara, Sasuke, Shika and I walk them to the bus stop and promise to see each other tomorrow.

Once they're gone, Sasuke and Shika make a great show of trying to be civil towards each other.

When Haku is around, it's much easier, seeing as how Haku gives Sasuke cooking lessons and has known Shika and me since high school started and we became inseparable; he manages being the mediator rather well.

Without him around, Sasuke and Shika spend a lot of time trying not to talk to each other, which is stressful to say the least.

Gaara, sensing the tension between the two, refuses to let me anywhere near either of them.

If this continues, we'll have to split up early!

At a crosswalk, I get an idea, "I'm pooped; who lives closest?"

Sasuke doesn't look my way but seems to answer exactly what I need him to, "Me; want to go?"

Shika raises an eyebrow at me behind Sasuke's back, "I'll see you guys later then"

Sasuke still doesn't turn around, "No, you can come"

Shika snaps his head around to stare at him hard before shrugging and falling silent.

The sign across the street flashes and we cross, turn southwest up the boulevard we're on, following Sasuke to his place.

I recognize the building even before we're less then a block or two away. From down here, in broad daylight, you can see it's really one of those cosmopolitan, tinted-glass, steal and concrete monstrosities that costs a couple hundred thousand to built.

Shika stares at it with a look akin to interest but Gaara seems indifferent to the glamour of it.

Sasuke nods to the doorman and we cross the lobby, people who have way more money then I can begin to imagine stare after us but look away discreetly when Sasuke notices them.

In the elevator, Sasuke scowls at his reflection in the gold-tinted metal.

I poke his arm, "What's wrong?"

Sasuke looks at me and shrugs, "I'm surprised they didn't maul me today; guess you guys scared them off"

Shika raises first one eyebrow, then the second and proceeds to roll his eyes dramatically.

Gaara stands motionless next to me.

Sasuke grins at my puzzled expression, "A lot of Baby boomers buy Itachi's art. He's getting so known that people are starting to try and go through me just to find out the weirdest little details about him"

My jaw drops, "No shit?"

Sasuke shakes his head and cranes his head to watch the numbers flash as we head higher up in floors, "Some 20 something girls at his University ask me questions all the time. They're usually there when I come home in the afternoons. That's why I always drive and take the elevator in the underground garage if I can help it"

Shika looks mildly sympathetic, "Tell them to screw off"

Sasuke laughs somewhat bitterly, "They're head over heels infatuated with my brother and amazingly, aren't scared of him. Do you think I have a snowball's chance in hell of scaring them off?"

I shake my head, completely understanding.

is a little, make that a lot, intimidating. It's not an easy thing to try and seems scarier, there's almost no point in trying.

We reach the top floor and the elevator doors open with a 'ting!'

Sasuke walks out and pauses for a second.

We're all standing in the hallway starring at him. He pulls his phone from his pocket and checks the time. A dark look passes over his features but I ignore it and wait for him to say something.

At length, Shika crosses his arms over his chest and starts to look impatient.

Gaara remains stonily silent at my side.

Finally, Sasuke shrugs, "Itachi might be home around this time. Thought I'd warn you guys first"

Then, he walks off in the direction of his place like he didn't just deliver a lethal blow.

I stand there for a second, wondering for the first time if this wasn't all just a really bad idea.

I mean, I, well, frankly, Itachi gives me the chills. The good and the really, freaking bad kind…simultaneously! That cannot be good in any way, shape or form and I'm keenly aware of that. Trouble is, there's no backing down now, I suggested crashing here in the first place. Just because I dug my own grave by convincing everyone to chill at the lion's den, didn't mean I could just up and bounce.

Gaara's looking at me and Shika, who's already halfway down the hall with Sasuke, stops to turn and look at me.

Sighing, I resign myself and catch up, Gaara bringing up the rear.

By the time I get there, Sasuke has already disappeared inside leaving the massive oak door wide open and Shika standing on the black and jade colored marbled entrance. I toe off my sneakers and line them up with Sasuke's.

Shika does the same and Gaara scares the crap out of us both by swinging the door shut a little more forcefully then would have been necessary.

He looks at us inquiringly when we both glare at him and the echoes of the door 'nearly' slamming shut fades slowly.

Shrugging, he toes off his sneakers and I laugh at his sox because they match his scarf and mittens.

Standing just inside the hall, I try to peer into the next room, "Sasuke?"

I think I hear him answer me, but I'm not sure. I shrug at Shika and Gaara and we make our way inside.

I recognize the first living room, all contemporary black and bloody red furniture. I notice that there are more black and white stills hanging on the wall but I can't put my finger on which ones are new.

Gaara's interest seems peeked by the sheer amount of deep bloody red in the room.

Shika shoves his hands in his pockets and continues to the shorter second hallway with a window following its length into the kitchen.

Sasuke's standing on the other side of the peninsula type counter, looking at something: turns out to be a small note.

Just to piss him off, I crawl over the counter to get to him but I don't get the desired effect.

Sasuke just looks at me blankly for a minute before crumpling the note and tossing it carelessly in the direction of the trash bin.

It bounces quietly off the rim and doesn't go in.

Sasuke doesn't notice, "There's food in the fridge and my room's down the hall…I'll be back, I'm going to change"

I give Shika a puzzled look and he just looks at the crumpled note.

Gaara watches Sasuke go with a look of slight curiosity, but you can't really tell with Gaara anyway.

As soon as Sasuke's out of the room, Shika ducks past me and grabs the note.

He scans over it quickly and then suddenly tears it up.

"Hey!"

He grins at me but his face looks pinched, "Not anything you'd want to read, trust me"

Gaara opens the fridge and pours himself a glass of milk.

As I watch, he proceeds to climb onto the counter, remote in hand, and flicks on the in-wall TV to the right of the fridge. Shika settles on a stool and I decide to go after Sasuke.

He's pulling on a navy-blue tank when I muster up the courage to open his door.

We stare at each other for a minute, me standing just inside the doorway and him next to his walk-in closet door.

Sasuke smirks, "Remember what happened last time you were here?"

I scowl at him but refuse to let myself get angry.

To prove that I'm over it, mostly, I stomp into his room, foregoing the invitation I was waiting for to come in and make a beeline for his bed. I clamber on, almost drowning in the comforter and settle myself at the head of the bed.

Sasuke's smirk widens slightly, "Trying to prove your not scared of me?"

I don't dignify that with an answer.

Let's see how Sasuke deals with a quietly angry Naruto instead of the loud, lively one that always plays right into his hands…

If I was feeling confident, then there's not point now seeing as how Sasuke takes my silence as an excuse to continue and come closer, "Why're you so scared of me?"

I glare at him, "Don't be a prick. Wouldn't you be a little apprehensive about a guy whose favorite pastime used to consist of trying to figure out what color bruises he could make your skin change to? You hafta admit, suddenly turning around and trying to be friends with me amounts to be a bit of a sick joke"

I snap my mouth shut when I realize how bitter I sound.

Sasuke pauses, at the edge of the bed and sit with his back to me, "I'm not trying to be your friend"

I stare incredulously at his back, my voice taking on an equally incredulous tone, "Then what the hell was all that about making a truce, agreeing to disagree and still be peaceful about it…are you actually up to something? Again!"

Sasuke tilts his head forward until his chin touches is chest and says nothing.

I watch the way the muscles along his shoulders and neck move with the whole motion of his slump, the way his hair shimmers that odd deep-space blue in the half-light of the noonday sun coming in form two of his five bay sized windows. I stare at his gently curved shoulders, which are wider and deeper set then mine, but with paler skin that makes them look so much more delicate.

Sasuke is really very dangerous the same way Itachi is, he just hasn't used it to his advantage the way Itachi does. That delicate, fey-like quality of their looks belies the fact that they are sharp thinkers and ultimately, controllers in any and all situations they are present in.

Itachi once said that manipulating others is really all it takes.

I muse this and simmer down. These are not sugar, spice and everything nice cookie-cutter thoughts so I better cut it out.

Sasuke straightens up and I plant my back securely against the headboard when I notice the firmly, resolute-like set to his shoulders.

When he turns to look at me, his face is thoughtful, "Are you really that stupid?"

I blink at him, "You might hurt yourself trying, but do you mind speaking on the same level as me?"

My sarcasm is brushed off and Sasuke turns fully to face me, his legs stretched out along the width of the bed, "They say boys mature more slowly then girls, right? So why is it, that I was already looking at you like that back then?"

I stay silent.

He makes an expansive gesture with his arm, "The way I see you, the way I always saw you, wasn't the way I was supposed to. You pissed the hell out of me. When I couldn't understand you, I beat the living daylights out of you to feel better. I felt better knowing you didn't know what was wrong anymore then I did"

I'm getting mucho chills listening to this, but the serene way Sasuke is speaking to me is lulling me into a false sense of security. I take comfort in the fact that Gaara is bound to come looking for me at some point. He's dependable like that.

Sasuke fists his hand loosely in the comforter and pulls and twist part of it into his lap, "I can't be friends with you"

It is said so simply and honestly that I react, "Why the fuck not?"

Sasuke smirks, like he knows something that I don't, "I never looked at you and saw a friend…even when we put up with this charade of friendship, what I saw in you wasn't any different from what it usually was"

I pick up one of his two massive pillows and try to think this through.

Understanding slowly dawns on me, but I shake it off easily, "Sasuke, you can't possibly be serious about me, I mean Neji-"

Sasuke's never looked at me like that.

That look has never been directed my way.

They guy did become an expert in torture and scare tactics from practicing on me back in the day, but he'd never used that face on me before.

Suddenly, I'm mad. Who the fuck does he think he is! I'm freakin' scared of him and every time I try to trust this asshole, he throws it back in my face. He's making this out to be some kind of horror story where he's the vampire whose going to kill me rather then let me escape.

I glare back for all I'm worth, "Stop fucking around with me. I'm getting sick of it and this is the only warning your going to get"

Sasuke seems more amused then anything.

He is stronger, I concede, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let him walk all over me.

"Neji isn't even speaking to you and your sticking up for him?"

I clench my teeth, "He's for real. He's always straight up honest with me unlike someone else I know and he's not trying to hurt me or fight me every step of the godamn way"

Sasuke shrugs, "You hardly know him"

"Wrong", I say, my voice rising steadily in pitch, "I don't know you"

Sasuke shrugs again, "You really wouldn't want to either"

I toss his pillow of the edge of the bed in my aggravation, "Wrong, asshole, if you'd just get serious for once and let someone in, people might start to actually get you!"

Sasuke snorts, "Has Neji 'let you in'? Is he playing along 'every step of the way'?"

I shrug, "What do you care about Neji so fucking much for? Jealous, much?"

Sasuke finally flares up, but I can't decide if that's a point for me or not, "What is so FUCKING good about him in the first place, besides that bullshit you said before!"

Equally loud, I retort, "He never fucking hurt me like YOU did!"

We're both breathing hard and starring each other down, but no more words come.

I'm suddenly overcome with the need to get out of here, go home to my small, homey apartment and got to freakin' sleep. I'll even skip picking up dinner if it means I can get out of here and be where I need to be sooner.

Defeated, emotionally, I slip off Sasuke's bed, "I'm going home"

* * *

I had to fight tooth and nail to get out of that apartment alive. Sasuke may have been down for the count but Gaara and Shika certainly weren't.

They take one look at me and Shika goes to cuss out Sasuke and Gaara checks me over till he's sure that, literally, not even a hair as been harmed on my body.

Gaara may think that he's as emotionless as a block of ice but he never showed more insight concerning human feelings as he did then.

After sitting me down in the front hallway, he called a cab and went to rescue Sasuke from Shika single handedly.

He then proceeded to glare Shika into silence, which I appreciated, what with the sudden headache I had and ushered us into the hall.

His plan was to send me and Shika packing in a taxi and had me promise to call him when I got home, which he also demanded of Shika who just grumbled under his breath instead of answering.

Then, he walked us to the elevator where I promised him I'd call and made him promise in turn to be careful about Sasuke.

In the cab, Shika doesn't ask me what Sasuke did or said.

He stews silently in the seat beside me, our knees touching, which reassures me, and his head turned out the window, not looking at my reddish eyes or my flushed skin.

My stomach is boiling with pent up frustration and anger but mostly just pity.

Pity for myself, whose suffering by trying to pry open Sasuke's half frozen heart and pity for Sasuke, who seems to be the villain in this whole thing, and really isn't.

He's just really, really bad at expressing himself.

The second or third greatest understatement in history…

However much Sasuke may have seemed honest, however, I can't bring myself to take him seriously. Doing so would be worse then acknowledging his feelings…it's be as bad as allowing them, even.

And ever since that talk I had with Haku about how important Neji is to me, I've come to respect the fact that there can't be room for all these guys in my life equally.

Shika and Haku occupy a place in me that no one can replace, their family. Gaara is the closest to a best friend as I've ever had and Shino is getting to be someone who understands my escape for reality through my art.

The biggest spot is for someone that will be closer to me than anyone else…and that means that it can't be just anyone…

* * *

When you experience something traumatic, you also experience shock along with it. To say that my shock quota had been fulfilled of the day was a massive, 9-ton understatement.

So, when I step on a note Neji left me under my door, it takes me a long minute to realize what this letter implies: namely that our half-week long excommunication is over.

I can remember faintly leaning down to pick it up and starring dazedly at my name in his precise cursive and then just walking into my kitchen and calling Gaara to tell him I'm made it home safely.

Then, I remember going straight to bed, letter still in hand.

I'd skip school tomorrow and read it…

* * *

Ebra: My 100 year absence is ova! Gomen, this chapter is so damn late! Jane! 


	12. Poker Pieces PrtOne

**Ebra:** Thanks go out to everyone who reviewed!

**Warning(s):** None… -- this is just a mini-vignette; fluff, I suppose and OOC-ness

**Disclaimer:** Not my characters…

**Note(s):** I felt like saying that I'm not going to end up pairing everyone off, even if it seems that way. I just have this habit of personalizing some of the characters based on some of my real life friends; thus making everyone seem close to everyone else.

**_Please continue to read, review and enjoy!_**

* * *

**'Purple Cocaine Prison'**

**Poker Pieces Part One **

* * *

**Temari **

****

"Gaara?"

He's sitting on the windowsill in the study. He likes sitting there because no one else in this apartment has the nerve to even approach papa's office, especially when he's not in it.

Gaara doesn't seem to have heard me, but I know better, "Have you eaten yet? And anyway, haven't you been starring out there long enough?"

I know that he's only there because he wants to avoid having to talk to any of us, but he doesn't normally go to great pains like this. He inclines his head, but I can't tell if it's a yes or no gesture.

Getting exasperated, I take a sure step into the room and stop, "You have an appointment today, would you just come along?"

Gaara turns to look at me then.

Indoors, he seems to wear even more clothing then outdoors so it's not entirely unusual to see him wrapped in a kimono print sweater and dark jeans. After considering me for a moment and narrowing his eyes, he answers monotonously, but irately none the less, "What appointment?"

It occurs to me that papa hadn't told him about it or had otherwise made it without consulting Gaara, which is bad both ways since Gaara doesn't like having to go at all in the first place.

I tap my foot while I try to figure out a way to voice this to someone that I know, from personal experience, will get possibly angrier and even less inclined to be cooperative. However, Gaara saves me the effort by walking out on me.

I stare after his retreating figure and I go out after him, shutting the study door as I go.

Gaara opens the door to his room and slips inside, shutting it firmly behind himself.

I stand in front of it, again indecisive.

Another unwritten law in this place is that no one enters Gaara's room. Not even the maid is exempt. Telling myself that I have absolutely no reason of being afraid of my little brother, I rap on the door, "We have to go, you realize. We're to be there before noon"

No answer is forthcoming so I stand a bit longer and try to listen for movement.

Nothing…

Kankuro's door opens behind me and I turn to say good morning but stop mid greet when I remember that he's not even remotely human until he's eaten.

True to his nature, he shuffles silently into the kitchen and flips on the TV.

So, here I am, standing in the hall listening to morning cartoons and still unanswered on the matter of Gaara's appointment.

I rub my temple to ease the headache I feel coming on.

I love Gaara and there's no one quite like him anywhere, but I wish he wouldn't be extra broody about these things. It's not his fault, or mine, that he has another appointment so soon and in the same week, but it can't be helped.

Papa told me this morning that he expected to hear if Gaara was getting better or not when he returned later.

Abruptly, Gaara's door opens again and he steps out and shuts his door in a single, fluid motion.

I take a step back to accommodate his sudden presence in the hallway.

He's changed clothes: the kimono print sweater for a deep red, ripped tee, the dark jeans for black and white plaid capris. Wrapped around his neck, a purple, spider-web print scarf. He's also wearing the magenta Nightmare Before Christmas belt I got him last Christmas.

He looks at me a moment before turning for the kitchen, "Shouldn't you get ready?"

I stare after him and return to my room to do as he says. It didn't occur to me until he mentioned it that I hadn't even bothered to do my hair first in the event that he refused to go at all.

A quick shower, and I dress and head into the kitchen myself.

Gaara is standing by the counter and placing things cautiously inside the union jack Cookie Monster lunch box he's had since he was younger. Before I can remind him that he can't eat anything before the tests, he looks me over briefly before resuming, "For afterwards"

Kankuro is sitting at the bar-side of the kitchen and is watching Gaara instead of the TV.

He returns my greeting with a sardonic grin; he's been sparred the task of getting Gaara to appointments because they fight too much. I deliberate only a minute about whether or not I should have breakfast myself and decide not.

Passing by Gaara, I notice that he's wearing his allergy bracelet. He doesn't ever wear it if necessary, and it is a sudden reminder that despite Gaara's headstrong and capable nature, he's still sick.

I peek at the contents of the lunch box: Sushi, his medication, soy sauce and a bottle of green tea.

Satisfied personally, I get my keys from the basket next to the TV and motion to Gaara that we are leaving.

The walk down the hall and the elevator ride down is all silence.

Once in the car, I put the top down, as it's sunny this early, and buckle in. Gaara squints comically in the sun and I resist the urge to laugh.

Instead, I reach into my glove compartment and hand him his sunglasses. They are thick and square lenses, glittery jade green in color, the shades themselves a deep mauve.

Gaara, who always looks somewhat enigmatic, looks even more dramatic when they're on.

It's here, in the car, that I observe some true changes to Gaara's behavior.

Gaara doesn't fidget; on the plane ride here from Japan, he didn't go for the bathroom even once and spent the entire time looking out the window. It's somewhat baffling to watch, half of my attention on him and half on the road, as he jangles my spare set of house keys on a knee, taps his foot and fingers a lock of his hair thoughtfully.

I can't put a finger on what exactly is different but it occurs to me that somehow, Gaara is less uptight…more relaxed than I'm normally used to seeing him, especially considering where we are going.

I watch, transfixed, as Gaara reaches over and pinches me.

He doesn't do that either: touching people casually.

Gaara pinches me a second time but I only stare at him.

He gives me anexasperatedlookover the rim of his sunglasses, "The light's green"

Luckily, it's early enough that people are still pleasant about it.

Squaring my shoulders, I decide to ignore Gaara altogether and concentrate on my driving. The only think I'm sure about is that whatever's loosening Gaara up must be a good thing.

* * *

**Itachi **

"What the fuck are you starring at?"

I hold my peace and shrug.

It is rare that Sasuke rises in the morning to be so cranky.

It also puzzles me as to who could be responsible; I am the only person who can incur such anger in my little brother.

Speculatively, I drink my black coffee.

Sasuke sits more or less across from me, obscuring a view of the TV that I don't really need to see, and makes a show of drinking black coffee also.

I stare down into the depth of my cup and continue to think.

Anyone would deduct that Sasuke either fought with someone and won or fought with someone and lost. Since the first option is the often-exclusive outcome of our fights; he thinks he's won, but he really hasn't; it leaves only the second as possible.

I draw my eyes out of the darkness of my cup and watch Sasuke demolish four pieces of toast successively. My own two pieces are cold already as I take my time about eating them.

I place my cup noiselessly down, "What did you do?"

The question seems to catch Sasuke unawares.

The fact that he splutters in his coffee is proof that I've hit the nail on the head.

Satisfied with having found my line of questioning, I continue, "Are you going to apologize?"

Sasuke scowls at me, "I wasn't the one being an idiot"

I incline my head, acknowledging, "But you were the one being aggressive"

Sasuke doesn't contradict what I say but he does defend himself, "It's because he's being thick"

Obviously, I know what to ask next, "He?"

Sasuke gives another black look but clams up nonetheless.

Amused at his effort to conceal these things from me, I take a bite from my toast, "Naruto isn't the type to be forced into anything, I imagine"

Sasuke gives me a sharp look that means I've entered forbidden territory, but I plow on, "The doorman said you'd had friends over"

Sasuke doesn't reply.

I continue to explain, "And you know there is a security system specific to our suite because of the risk of theft"

Understanding dawns on Sasuke but he attempts to remain cool, "How did you figure it was Naruto?"

I smirk and watch Sasuke's face pinch a bit worriedly, "Of the four with you, it was obvious. That red-head didn't look like the type you could bully and the smart ass didn't seem interested"

Sasuke gives me a blank look, "Ha, funny"

Amused, I take a sip of my coffee.

Sasuke seems unable to tolerate me any longer and dumps the rest of his coffee down the drain. He then proceeds to tell me that he is going out and that I needn't wait for him.

Teasingly, I reach over and deliberately pinch his arm, twisting slightly, "As if I would"

Sasuke makes no attempt at pulling away and glares at me for the bruise the pinch leaves. He makes as though to ignore me but then stops, mid- insult, considering, "Where's Kisame?"

The question honestly surprises me; why on earth would I know where Kisame is?

After an honest pause of thought, it strikes me that I do know where he is…or rather, where he intends to be. "He's driving down to New York for the day…"

Sasuke perks up, "Can I go with him?"

The fact that Sasuke is asking permission at all throws me.

Outwardly, I only smirk, "Your asking?"

Sasuke ignores this and waits for what he wants to hear.

Shrugging, I nod.

He almost smiles at me but turns away instead, heading into his room to grab whatever he'll need.

I stand and clear way the rest of our traces of breakfast and glance at the time: I suppose he intends to miss school.

I slowly pour the remaining contents of my cup down the drain and look up briefly when Sasuke streaks passed, shouting something to me on his way out.

A moment later, the front door slams shut.

Standing alone in the kitchen, I stop to consider that what Sasuke called back sounded suspiciously like 'Bye Aniki'.

I glance at the final traces of coffee disappearing down the drain.

The coffee, I think, is a lot like Sasuke. It seems black, but it's actually brown, isn't it.

* * *

**Hinata**

"Neji-San?"

Worried, I knock again.

He startles me badly when he opens the door and looks at me frankly.

I stare down at my feet to avoid looking directly at him, "We'll b-be late, if we d-don't leave soon…"

Neji hums an affirmative, "Please wait for me in the foyer, Hinata-Sama"

The door shuts softly and I let out a breath I was holding; turning, I make my way back across to the main house, through the outdoor garden.

I've sorta been on my tiptoes around my cousin lately.

He seems cooler and more reserved then usual, and I wonder if it's because of me.

When I think about it, his freedom has been cut down by having to watch me. Anytime I need to go out, he's to drive me. He's also had to start training with me, which exasperates most of the Sensei that I've already had, as he teaches better then they do and complains the least about my clumsiness. In fact, he rarely speaks to anyone in the main house anymore.

He also goes home to the branch house and has started sleeping out more as well.

It's like he wants nothing to do with the main house but respects my father because he has to and not because he actually venerates him, like he used to.

Neji-san is like someone who's lost something and doesn't seem to know how to go about getting it back.

In the foyer, I sit in one of the large leather chairs, my backpack at my feet. Is Neji not feeling well? Did he fight with someone? I've also noticed that Naruto seems to avoid not only Neji but me also.

Neji taps me lightly on the shoulder, "We're leaving"

I jump and stare up at him.

He gives me an inquiring look before smoothing his face into expressionless marble.

Standing, I follow behind him as we got out to the garage.

In the car, Neji is still very quiet.

I know that we rarely talk normally, but even I feel a little uncomfortable. Unable to start a conversation, I keep thinking quietly to myself.

* * *

**Naruto**

I could've slept all damn day, but noooo. Tsunade-Hag shows up first thing this morning and wrestles me outta bed like my life depends on it. I'm about as coherent as a cotton ball and I have a headache that's threatening to kill me before I can kill the hag.

"Hurry up you brat!"

Tugging back ferociously at my comforter, I wrestle it another inch over my head, trying my hardest to ignore her.

Abruptly, she lets go, "Okay, we have no time for this!"

My center of gravity suddenly shifts and Tsunade grabs comforter, walrus hat, and me and hauls everything, minus my sanity, outta bed. Either I get up on my own two feet or she's gonna kill me, dragging me out my bedroom door like she is.

I wriggle out of her grip and she's left holding all my bed stuff.

We glare at each other, me from the floor where I'm huffing at her and her from the doorway where she's huffing right back.

I groan and flop down on my bare back, "What the hell is this about!"

Tsunade-Hag grumbles and throws my stuff, all jumbled like it is, back onto my bed, "I said: We don't have time for this. Grab a shirt, we need to be outta here yesterday"

I drag my eyes open and grab the first shirt that falls under my fingers. It startles me pretty badly when said shirt is ripped from my fingers and a sweater is shoved over my head, "You'll be warmer in this"

I force the sweater the rest of the way on and stand.

Yawning and rubbing the sleep from my eyes, witty retort about her menopause at the ready, the jib dies in my mouth when I really see the look on her face.

Her whole face is frowning in worry: her mouth turned down a little at the corners, her perfect eyebrows drawn almost completely together and her nose all scrunched up because of the way she'd pinch her mouth shut.

"Wha-?"

Her head jerks up and she seems to snap out of it slightly, "Let's go"

Asking no more questions, I leave with her, shutting and locking my apartment behind myself.

* * *

In the underground garage, Tsunade buckles me tightly into her Volvo and peels out onto the street.

She's still stonily serious and I can't find it in myself to ask the questions that have been stewing away in my head since we left the apartment. I realize though, after a bit, that she's driving me to school.

When we get there, she tells me to wait for her and hurries towards the center entrance a.k.a. the office.

With nothing better to do, I watch the school busses drop off students.

As I'm losing interest, cars start pulling in, teachers and students alike coming in minutes before the bell.

A silver Audi catches my immediate attention.

Panicked, I unbuckle myself and duck down in my seat, trying to avoid being seen. The Audi parks only two spaces down from me.

Watching covertly, I spot Hinata first, emerging from the backseat and turning to thank the driver before hurrying off toward the school.

Neji takes his time about stepping out.

When he does, I accidentally sit up a little to get a better look at him. He seems to look right at me, but turns away.

Thank God my hood was on.

Stepping away from his car, a messenger bag slung over a shoulder, Neji makes his way towards the school.

He's wearing the black jeans that make his legs look endless and his army print cargo jacket, which makes him glow almost because the green-black-brown melee of the print contrasts with his white skin. His hair is loose, bangs sweeping every which way into his face. I note, thoroughly amused, that there is a butterfly clip holding some shorter bangs out of face and behind his left ear.

The next thing I notice is Tsunade making her way back towards the car.

My heart seizes up when I realize that Neji will see her and she'll see Neji, but then I figure it wouldn't matter anyway since she probably wouldn't remember him, having only met him the once. And anyway, why would she talk to him?

Laughing a little at my own stupidity, I watch her walk hurriedly back towards the car in her high black heels and billowing green overthrow coat.

I unintentionally hold my breath when she walks past Neji and I start to laugh at myself again before I see her pause mid-step then come to an actual stop. I stare as she turns on her heel and catches up to Neji.

He stops and turns to her as she walks briskly up to him and his face, or what I can see of it over her shoulder, remains mostly passive as she talks and gestures a little at him.

Based on what his face is showing, I can't even begin to imagine what she must be telling him.

My heart starts climbing up my throat when Tsunade turns back to the car with Neji in tow. She heads right over to the passenger side door and Neji goes back to his car, opening the back door and tossing his messenger back in. Tsunade crouches down to my level, "Naru, I need you to stay with your friend for the morning, okay? I'll call and let you know when you can come back, alright?"

All while she's saying this, she tugs me to my feet and walks me to Neji's car.

Her voice is carefully cheerful, like she's not about to hand me off tomy executioner, and her hand squeezes mine reassuringly.

Neji is waiting; leaning in the space between his car and the open drive-side door.

I'm careful not to look at him and climb into the passenger seat like Tsunade makes me, and I tune out whatever she says to him. Then, suddenly, Neji is sitting in the car also, and we're moving.

I peek at the rearview mirror and catch Tsunade starring after us.

* * *

I must have still been tired because the next thing I know, Neji is patting my shoulder to wake me up.

I start but still avoid looking at him.

We climb out of the car and I realize we're inside a garage…an awfully big garage. There are six or seven other expensive foreign cars lined up along where Neji parked.

Neji's voices sounds far way from where it comes behind me, "C'mon"

Turning, I watch his retreating back.

I catch up, falling into step behind him and watch the massive garage door close itself. Near the far end, Neji opens a door leading directly into the house. The one time I'd been here, I hadn't been inside like I am now. For one thing, it's bigger then I first thought. For another, the hallway is huge. Like, can't-touch-the-ceiling-without-a-ladder-or-reach-the-far-wall-without-using-a-meter-stick-huge.

Neji takes off down the right and I follow.

There is nothing I recognize until we take a flight of stairs down that leads us out to the outdoor garden. We walk along the wooden planking and come from the far side.

We pass by the place where Neji brought me when I came here my first time but the sliding doors are shut.

Making the whole way across the garden, we head up another set of stairs and are indoors again.

This half is completely differently decorated then the first half. There is normal furniture and tatami mat flooring.

Neji goes up another flight of stairs and walks down a broad hallway. He stops at a sliding door and opens it, pulling off his jacket and walking in. Slightly indecisive, I follow him.

The room is big, like everything else about this place but someone manages to be homey. There are two, low, squashy leather chairs with a TV set up in the far left corner. Inside, unlike out in the hall, the tatami is somehow softer and has designs painted over it making it look strangely like carpeting.

To the right Neji disappears into another room through another set of sliding doors.

I can hear him moving around but I don't dare go peek so I curl up in one of the leather chairs instead.

I pillow my head on my free hand and lean a little haphazardly on the armrest. I am very nearly asleep again when Neji's voice rings out to my right, "You're adopted?"

His voice is surprisingly clear and it feels like I haven't heard it for a long time. I admit to myself a bit sheepishly that it's has been forever since I heard it…outside of my dreams, I mean.

For a second, I stay quiet, considering feigning sleep just to get him to ask again.

When it's clear that he will probably ask again any second, and be aggravated about it, I sit up a little and sigh, "Nope"

Neji considers this, "But you don't have parents, right?"

I shake my head, "I was an orphan"

Neji shifts, "Are you a runaway?"

I slowly open my eyes and look at the far wall across from where I'm sitting, "Basically"

I interrupt his next question before he even voices it because it's the question everyone always asks, "And I'd rather not talk about it"

"Hmmm"

I scowl faintly, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Neji doesn't answer and I make the mistake of turning to look at him.

He's not looking at me, which is a relief, but his face is the marble-mask. Narrowing my eyes at him, I pull my hood down, "What?"

Neji laces his fingers together over his stomach, "Technically, you're underage and living alone"

I blink, a little lost. He's using his matter-a-fact grown-up voice, "Yeah. So?"

Neji shuts his eyes and tips his head back slowly, as if giving something careful consideration, "That's why your landlady is in trouble. Your school records and her lease statements identify you as having no parents. Which basically means they'll be wanting to give you a social worker"

I sit, dead pale for a second, and let it all sink in. I have always known that a 17 year old with no parents, living alone, isn't legal, but it's never been an issue. I pay for all stuff I need and have never given anyone any reason to look into my business.

I stare at him a long time, "No one ever noticed before"

Neji shrugs, "Maybe they have been and she's been covering for you"

I think about all the times Tsunade-Hag signed papers on my behalf or companied me for doctor's appointments. "They won't do anything to her, right?"

Neji doesn't answer me.

"This is so weird. Why now?"

Neji seems not to have heard me, but I plow on anyway, "Would you sit up and look at me?"

Neji's lips barely move, "You were afraid to look at me in the car, maybe I'm afraid to look at you now"

"Bullshit"

I'm glaring at him and he, finally, seems to feel it.

As if waking up from a long nap, Neji's eyes slide open, silver-blue like I remember, and he sits up, hair trailing behind him, and looks right at me, "Happy now?"

His voice is smooth and cold, not a hint of sarcasm, but not a hint of anything nice either.

I make a show of starring right back, straightening in my seat to stop myself from fidgeting later, "Yes, thank you"

After a pause, I shift my eyes to the hair fanned out over his shoulder, "I didn't get a chance to read the note you wrote me"

Neji shrugs, "It was only a poem"

I glance up at his face, "Did you write it?"

Wordlessly, Neji stands and goes to the other room and returns with a notepad. He takes a pen lying on top of the TV and begins to write slowly, in a single, measured speed:

**'Pencil and paper are the artist's salvation,**

**The pencil like the sword**

**The paper like the fabric of life**

**The free word:**

**Truth that releases**

**Balm that heals**

**Weapon that wounds**

**Using raw inspiration as fuel**

**That one may paint with words**

**Pierce, with the sword-pencil**

**The fabric-paper of life**

**And in doing,**

**Open a window to the soul'**

"It's beautiful", I tell him, but he only shrugs, "What made you write it?"

"You like to draw", he says quietly, like that explains everything.

We stare at his curvy writing together.

Something occurs to me, and I don't know whether or not it's a good idea, but it's there, in the forefront of my mind and I decide to act on it. The worst he can do is deck me, right?

I reach over and grab a fistful of his silver tank top and haul him over. As soon as he's close enough, I plant one on him.

While I'm doing this, I try super hard not to think of all the really good reasons doing this is bad: I haven't brushed yet, he's still mad at me, I haven't the faintest clue what I'm doing. But really, it feels like what I should do.

This poem, for all its words, seems like an apology to me. Or, maybe, acceptance. In any case, he wouldn't have written it if it didn't mean anything, right?

Right!

Because, I really, really miss him, and hopefully he's going to kiss me back and make what I'm doing okay. So, it's a bit scary when he doesn't.

Kiss me back, that is.

But I lean away and look at him and he's looking at me, so at least I have his attention, "It's honestly beautiful"

I tell him again to make it clear I meant it, and he just keeps looking at me.

Really looking at me, I mean, like I might have the answers to the mysteries of the universe written right there on my skin.

And he smiles a tiny, Neji-smile.

And the corner of his eyes crinkle, even.

And his eyes are warm water instead of ice.

So, it's no big surprise when he has to reach over and rub away the baby tears at the corner of my eyes.

Grinning, despite everything, I mould one of my spare hands in his. Now, if only I could think my way out of this underage-kid-living-alone mess things would be just about perfect. Neji probably has things to tell me and I have things to tell him, but I'm thinking it can wait.

* * *

**_T.B.C_**

* * *

**Ebra:** Too sappy? I hope not…cause I really like it! That random P.O.V. type stuff at the beginning of the chapter was just moi trying out a new way of writing for variety's sake, since I always write in Naru-narrative. I took a while to update cause I was writing my English ISU essay and it had to be perfect. I will also go into depth about Naru's latest problem next chapter. I just really wanted Naru and Neji back together before I continue

**_Ja!_**


	13. Poker Pieces PrtTwo

**Ebra:** Thanks for the encouraging reviews. It's good to know people are reading.

**Warning(s):** Lime/Vaguely Aggressive Fluff, Mild Language, and randomness/possible confusion

**Disclaimer:** The characters aren't mine, the plot is.

**Please Read, Review and Enjoy!**

_**Purple Cocaine Prison**_

'_Poker Pieces Prt.2'_

**Naruto**

"Are we here all alone?"

Neji glances up from where he's making grilled cheese sandwiches. Mine's got bologna and green peppers and his is plain, "Not really"

I chew my tongue, messing unconsciously with my tongue piercing, "I haven't seen anyone since we came in"

Neji nods and shrugs at once, the movement fluid, "The maids and butler are around"

I glance around the spacious kitchen: white walls, white appliances, and big windows. I suppose you would need a maid if your kitchen were this big.

Neji slides my plate down in front of me and sits across from me, on the other side of this peninsula/bar table type thing.

Just when he's about to reach for his grill cheese, I yank his plate towards myself, "You can't eat it like that"

Neji gives me a long look and I laugh, "Can I have a butter knife?"

Obligingly, he finds me one.

Making a show of being precise, I cut his sandwich diagonally down the middle and slide it back over to him.

He raises an eyebrow at me but says nothing.

That done, I put the butter knife down and tuck into my own grill cheese.

Neji gives me a very vaguely scandalized look and I laugh, "Mine's got loads of crap in it! If I cut it in half, I'll be covered in cheese in no time. Besides, I just showered"

I have too.

I'm wearing Neji's pajamas, since they are the only things vaguely small enough for me to wear. All his pants trip me up and I look dumb wearing his shirts. They're too flashy for the likes of me.

I had a lot of fun going through his closet, though. It was cool to see that even immaculately put together Neji has the odd Hawaiian-print shirt, worn or no.

For the next few minutes, we chew silently.

Even though Neji has officially called off our impromptu time-out, it's like we're starting all over again. We, or I at least, am still trying to remember the does and don't and yes and no's associated with Neji's particular temperament. It's funny to think that I've been stressing so much over getting back together that I couldn't even remember that Neji, to use this morning as an example, hates to be teased, even on little things.

Three minutes of full-blown laughter about the Hawaiian shirt discovery/incident earned me a near half hour of stony silence.

Neji gets up and pours us both some lemonade.

Gulping half of mine down, I watch him as he gazes out the window closest to us, chewing almost thoughtfully.

Everything about him draws me in: the hair, the skin and the eyes (more often then not). It's a wonder I don't get over there and convince him that the view in here is much better then whatever's out there.

Sighing at myself, I polish off the rest of my treat and busy myself with finishing my lemonade.

To tell the truth, I haven't had a single chaste thought about Neji all morning. Anytime I openly look at him, I notice something that makes me wanna jump him: the way he'll tuck all his bangs behind one ear or the other, the way he'll look at me steadily for minutes at a time, even the way he walks, unhurried and unassuming but vividly sensual.

I'm kinda ashamed of myself. I mean, isn't it a bit early to be hot for the guy you've only just hooked back up with?

"Done?"

Blinking, I nod and Neji takes my plate and places them noiselessly, with his, in the sink.

I lean over the table to get a better view as he bends slightly to put the pitcher of lemonade away, "Can we go outside?"

Neji straightens and gives me a 'whatever-for?' type look.

I shrug and stand, grinning, "We're all cooped up in here. You can bring your phone and I'll bring myself and we'll find something fun to do"

Neji glances about at the obvious amount of space in this obscene kitchen and cocks his head at me, mock uncomprehending.

I grin wider, "Humor me, okay?"

He walks around the peninsula and puts his hand at the back of my head and kisses me.

This is another thing we're getting used to all over again; looks like we're both apprehensive about using tongue so they are chaste, lips-only affairs.

Trust me though: I'm not complaining.

By the time he pulls away from me, I've got one hand in his hair, the other fisted in the front of his expensive silver tank and I'm leaning into him like my life depends on it.

I laugh, embarrassed, and step slightly away, "See. Air'll do me some good"

Neji looks a little more amused than any one person should have to right to, "Okay"

**Temari**

I know better then to ask how it was and sit silently as Gaara mechanically eats through his sushi lunch.

It's clear that he's a bit more then simply disgruntled and even if I hadn't registered that myself, the new medication he came out totting would've clued me in.

Gaara despises his meds and having to take them. Even I have to admit that they are basically the bane if his existence.

Kankuro surmised, once, that no one keyed up on so much medication could be able to sleep. That's his theory on Gaara's ongoing insomnia.

So here we are, knee deep in new prescriptions with no real diagnosis in sight.

At length, I interrupt Gaara's maiming of his lunch to point as inconspicuously as I can at his new liquid supplement.

I get a rather toxic look in return. I'm not offended because even I can see that it's out of marked distaste for the supplement itself; they do have a habit of being really nasty going down.

Gaara's about to chug the whole thing when his cell rings.

This is surprising because it would imply that he's given his number to people outside the family.

Gaara's phone is his own, but he never uses it in a recreational fashion: it's a way for father to know here we are at all times.

Gaara puts the supplement away, clearly using the phone call as a diversion, "Hello?"

The person on the other end of the receiver is speaking urgently and Gaara's normally stoic face wrinkles very, very faintly with his mounting consternation.

"-He's where? You don't know? Call the Landlady. Sasuke? Probably skipping"

At the mention of Sasuke, I perk up a little. I haven't got any real chance at him, but gossip always clears up the head's problems. Hearing about others generally does that to you.

"I'm already done. With my sister; downtown. They fought yesterday…Shikamaru was angry"

Who fought?

"Neji? Guy with brown hair and metal-blue eyes? No idea"

The person on the other end stops short and says something quickly over the line before Gaara 'Hn' 's his way out of the conversation and hangs up.

Gaara stares at his phone and tucks it way after a moments pause.

Absently, he drinks his supplement with a straight face and chases it down with his entire bottle of green tea.

"Everything alright?"

With the old Gaara, it was pointless to ask questions like that, his answers were always the same: stone faced silence.

The new Gaara tilts his head inquisitively: "Naruto is missing"

It takes me minute to recall the face that matches the name, "That blond loudmouth you hang out with?"

Gaara looks like he'd want to smile but doesn't, "Hn"

It's an affirming 'Hn'.

"Who was that?"

Gaara rubs his forehead as if to ward off an oncoming headache, "Haku"

"Haku?" I say I tad incredulously, "The school's Prince?"

Gaara gives me a blank look.

I wave it off, "Never mind"

Gaara nods and puts all his things away in the cookie monster lunchbox, "Drive me home"

I start the car and pull out onto the street before asking: "Going to school?"

Gaara shakes his head and that is that.

**Sasuke**

"Theater owners don't' normally drive Bentleys, do they?"

Kisame raises an eyebrow at me and grins.

I blink at the sun gleaming off the car's pitch-black hood, waiting.

Kisame relents, "Bodyguards do"

I don't need anymore then that to understand that my brother probably pays him for it.

"I read that some animals kill their offspring or weaker family members when they feel threatened or anxious"

Kisame laughs, heavy and dark, "Do they?"

I nod, still starring at the sun-reflections off the hood, "They do. What I don't get is how I could possibly be a threat to my brother"

Kisame shrugs, "A few screws loose would make anyone paranoid"

I look at him sharply, "He hasn't got loose screws"

I can't help being defensive about my brother, even though he's the way he is.

Kisame shrugs his big shoulders, "No, but he's got the thinking pattern down pat"

We contemplate what that means for us.

After a minute, Kisame takes his hands off the steering wheel long enough to crack his knuckles, "Remember when you were saying your brother and me, we're friends?"

I nod.

He grins again, the edge of it dangerous like it tends to be, "He looks after me and I look after him, in all the little ways I can. He doesn't need me all that much really. We keep company because we're the only one's swimming in the shark pool"

I nod, "You remind me of a shark…a great white, maybe"

Kisame laughs, "Great white?"

"It's the way you smile", I say, turning to look out the window, "All teeth and big bite"

"Big bite?"

I shrug, "My brother wouldn't keep you around for nothing; you're right about that"

Kisame laughs, "We get along too well"

I find myself agreeing amiably.

**Zabuza**

"Gaara doesn't know where he is either…"

I watch, patient, as Haku flips through his contact's list again. Probably checking to see if there is anyone he missed calling.

He came home not twenty minutes after the start of his classes, flustered about the whereabouts of people he's told me he's friends with.

Being as I am, I sit quietly and let him fuss the worry out of himself. I know, from experience that when he's done, he'll think clearer.

Presently, I leave him, on our bed, and decide to make some coffee.

No sooner do I sit down does he come into the kitchen, having changed his jeans and top for a pair of my work overalls and a tank. He's put his hair up and rolled up the hem of the overalls so as not to trip, "Are you working this morning?"

I shake my head and allow him to add another three cubes of sugar and some milk to my coffee, "People my age don't drink this much sugar"

Haku beams at me and takes a sip, "And what age is that?"

Our age difference is of very little concern to him, I forgot to mention.

I shrug and take my coffee back.

Haku moves my arm and piles onto my lap, cell in hand, "I need a drive. I wouldn't trust myself behind a steering wheel right now"

I nod, drinking my too-sweet coffee in three deep gulps.

I half carry him to our door before he laughs and climbs out of my grip to hold my hand instead.

**Naruto**

Neji takes me to the outdoor garden and I talk him into squeezing into a hammock with me. It's not even squeezing really, since the damn thing is easily big enough for four people.

He's evidently not partial to the hammock, despite the space, but I've never been in one, so I'm liking it well enough.

"Who planted these guys?"

I motion to the general area of the garden and Neji, whose lying beside me, eyes closed, corrects me, "Whom, you mean"

"More then one person?" I inquire after a beat.

Neji smoothes his hair over a shoulder, where it ends up curled against my side, "The right is the branch family while the left is the Main house"

When you look at it with the imaginary great divide in mind, you can see a clear difference in the plants. The right is simpler then the left, mostly flowers and low shrubs, while the left is all extravagant tree types and creepers. Down the center, they sort of blend.

"It's nice. Better then any park I've been to, I mean"

Neji doesn't answer and I twist enough to look down into his face, "Are you falling asleep?"

Surprisingly, Neji answers, "…yes"

I wait to see if he's joking, but his eyes are closed and his breath is evening out second by second.

As I am not fond of the idea of him nodding off on me, I lick his nose.

As you can imagine, he opens his eyes long enough to give me a decidedly annoyed look.

I grin and swing my legs the rest of the way into the hammock and tangle them with his. By the time I'm settled, Neji is sitting up on his elbows and starring at me, "What?"

Neji actually rolls his eyes, "You did that on purpose"

I flop into his chest and grin into his collarbone, "Of course I did"

We're silent for a bit and I amuse myself with listening to the beat of his heart. Then, I start talking without quite giving pause to what I'm saying, "You were pretty mad, huh?"

Neji's hand smoothes the silky pajama material on my back, "No"

I sit up and look at him, "No?"

He's starring up at the sky as if trying to see through clouds, "No"

I put my head down and curl one of my hands under his tank to warm my fingers, "Why not?"

He sighs really deeply and I feel his chest cave a bit with it, "You need a lot of affection and I'm not the most understanding about that"

I stay mum to indicate that he should go on.

"You're…very open with people. Where I won't say much, you'll explain a whole problem. Where I'll ignore something, you'll investigate. Where I'll abandon something as useless, you'll put time and energy into fixing it"

I dip my finger into his bellybutton, "Hmm"

"In that way alone, we are…drastically different. Intentionally, I am inverted. It works well for me. You are the opposite. It kills you to be ignored even if the attention is abusive"

I sigh, "You mean Sasuke"

Neji parrots me quietly, "I mean Sasuke"

We are quiet again.

"He's the same as me, you know"

Neji pulls a Gaara, "Hn"

"He needs…someone of his own, basically. He's just crazy in thinking that it's me"

Neji surprises me, "He's not"

I grin, "What? Crazy?"

Neji's hand on my back stills, "No, wrong: about it being you"

"WHAT!"

Neji winces at my outburst but continues, after a second, to smooth his hand down my back, "I asked Haku about him. About how you've been together since kindergarten. About how, no matter how badly he treats you or beats you up, you always let him get closer to you"

I stare at the edge of the hammock.

"It seems that you're more attached to him then you think. Maybe not the same way he feels towards you, but there is something mutual about the whole thing to begin with"

Thinking hard about it, I have to admit that it rings true, in some places, for me. I DO always give Sasuke a second chance and I DO always let him get close enough to hurt me. I just never thought about it being completely intentional.

"This is a whack conversation"

Neji's chest rumbles quietly under my ear, the purring-type sound his quiet equivalent of laughter.

"Maybe I'm trying to cure him through affection"

Neji's hand has made it under my top and is tracing my shoulder blade, "Looks like it"

"But I can't do both", I persist, "Be involved with someone AND devote time to someone who wants to be involved with me"

Neji leans down to touch his chin to the top of my head, "Maybe you should choose"

I sit up so suddenly I think I actually startle Neji a bit, "I HAVE chosen"

I glare at him and make to roll out of the hammock, "You suck for even _thinking_ that"

Neji's hand closes around my wrist and pulls me back into the hammock before my second foot touches the ground, "I'm worried"

I find myself on my back, my legs dangling comfortably over the hammock's edge, starring up into his face, his hair pilled onto of my chest, "You're kidding"

He shakes his head and the tips of his bangs brush my forehead.

'This is madness' I think.

Out loud, I say: "I love you. Isn't it that simple?"

Neji's face becomes ever more solemn, "I love you too. But, you love Sasuke also. Somewhere deep down, you already know that"

I groan in frustration. It's like everything I say; he finds a way to bounce it back. Is he testing me or something?

"Why you keep coming back to that?"

Neji scowls at me; "Because you need to admit it to yourself…I could lose you to him otherwise"

For the first time since I've known Neji, he sounds angry.

Not just, 'stop-being-thick' angry. I mean 'listen-to-what-I'm-fucking-saying!' angry.

Hearing it makes me freeze.

Neji's face clears and he sighs, sounding so tired, "You're the one who isn't listening to me"

Before I can stop myself, baby tears, born of frustration, pool in the corner of my eyes and slide down into the shell of my ears. In a voice that doesn't sound like mine, I whisper, "I'm trying to"

Neji kisses me instead of reassuring me. His tongue pokes under mine teasingly and I laugh.

Why is it that whenever I'm with him, it's like I'm suddenly a girl, complete with bipolar emotions?

"Cut it out", I tell him, mock-sternly, "This is a serious conversation"

Neji ignores me and uses a hand, fisted gently in the back of my head, to tilt my head back a little and kiss me again.

At this point, I no longer try to resist this and kiss back.

Neji's other hand, still bent under my back, slides down into the hollow just above my butt and curls into my skin. I do nearly the same, liking my fingers childishly around his middle.

Neji leans away from me after a minute and watches, more than a little amused, as I try to get my breath back.

I surprise him and myself with what I say next: "I think we should have sex"

Neji actually pales minutely, before pressing his face into my chest to keep from laughing.

Blushing furiously, I tug gently at his hair, "Fine. I take it back"

In answer, Neji bites my collarbone, "You can't"

I scowl at the top of his head, "I can"

He raises his head and looks at me critically, "Would you?"

Paralyzed by the seriousness of the question; I take a deep breathe, "No, I wouldn't"

Neji pulls his arm from under me and runs a finger over my eyebrow, "Good"

He then proceeds to methodically divest me of my top.

Placing my hands on his shoulders, to stay out of his way, I start babbling, "Here? Now? Are you sure? We're outside, and it's supposed to rain later-besides, hammocks can be dangerous-"

He cuts me off by thoroughly frenching me. The man is overly serious about everything he does, and shutting me up is not exception.

Some would say that this is pretty sudden. I would say not.

Is it going too fast? Maybe.

I'm I getting a little more excited then is recommended? Maybe.

Would I like to stop? Absolutely not.

Despite my resolve to dive into this head first, Neji suddenly pulls away.

I stare, completely bewildered as he answers his phone, "Hello?"

Neji runs a hand through his hair and blows bangs out of his face, "He's right here"

He then hands me the phone.

I stare at it, the blood flow in my body having gone to other parts, leaving very little for my brain but I understand nonetheless, the right course of action.

I hang up.

Neji stares at me, amused, "She will call back, you realize"

Before I can answer, she does.

"Goddamn brat!"

That'd be the twenty-fifth time in twenty minutes.

Neji diplomatically sips his tea to my right.

"I always thought you were trouble. You're way, WAY too much like when I was a kid. I saw it coming and I played right into it!"

I shrink away from her ranting and hold on more tightly to Neji's hand.

Like she's suddenly defeated, she slumps down and gulps half her tea, "Well, never mind. What's done is done"

Abruptly serious, she sets her cup down, "They'd like to place you into a home"

"A home? Like an orphanage?"

She shakes her head, "A home. As in a 'mom-dad-two point five children-white picket fence and dog setting'"

I consider this and scowl, "They never bothered before"

She cuts her eyes at me, "That's because I've been covering your ass since you moved in"

Neji was right after all.

Neji seems to sense how cornered I suddenly feel, "Can't he move into a place of his choosing? With a legal adult?"

Tsunade gives Neji an appraising look, "I thought of that, but I'm already ineligible"

"Why?"

The idea of having to leave here makes my gut twist uncomfortably.

She grins lopsidedly at me; "I'm already knee deep in bullshit for what I've done for you up till now. Don't worry, we'll think of someone"

She sets us loose for the rest of the day, saying she needs to call up a few old friends.

Outside, Neji and I walk once around the apartment building. I have this crazy urge to show him some of the places that gave me the best memories.

On our way to his car, I get jumped, "THERE YOU ARE!"

Knocked flat on my back and feeling dizzy, I still manage to recognize Haku's voice.

Sitting up with his help, I look up at him, "What the hell was that for?"

Haku grins sheepishly, "I was worried"

Zabuza enters my field of vision and shrugs at me.

Neji pulls me to my feet and explains for me, where I was.

Haku and Zabuza listen and Haku offers for me to stay with them, but I refuse. They haven't been living together for very long and to me, it would be a total intrusion. Basically, a breach of privacy.

Haku tells me I have to call Gaara and Shikamaru, and I promise to, before they leave.

In the car, Neji let's me use his cell:

-"Hello?"-

"Gaara? It's me"

-"…"-

"Are you mad?"

-"…Where were you?"-

I explain, as best I can, about what's going on.

-"…"-

"Yeah", I say, laughing a little, "My thoughts exactly"

-"It'll be alright"-

It's awfully reassuring to hear something like this from a person who normally sees things in shades of gray, "Thanks"

-"Welcome"-

Something occurs to me, "Let's go eat later"

-"…No"-

"Why?" I try whining a little to wheedle him into changing his mind.

-"New Diet"-

"Huh?"

-"…"-

"Can you hang out then?"

-"Hn"

"That's good. I'll call you about it later?"

-"Hn"-

"Bye, Gaara"

-"Bye"-

Neji looks at me oddly, "Gaara?"

I raise an eyebrow at him, "You don't know him?"

Neji shrugs, "Yes and no"

I grin, "You'll meet him later, then"

**Sasuke**

"Has Itachi quit smoking?"

I shake my head and concentrate on following him.

Kisame pulls a face, "He's doing it to piss me off"

I laugh. My brother is mostly serious, but he can be known to make the odd exception for the sake of being bratty. It's sort of something we have in common.

"You hungry?"

I shake my head even though I am. Kisame has so many places to go today, that it'll definitely put a hole in his schedule to stop and eat on my account. Besides, I didn't tag along to give him trouble.

Kisame grins at me, "Let's find a place"

I shake my head at him, but find myself smiling.

He chooses this out of the way little place with nice smelling pizza.

"What's the worst thing you ever did as my brother's bodyguard?"

Kisame is dressed in black slacks and a sleeveless turtleneck, starkly white suspenders adding a classy look. His shoes, leather. When he looks at me over the pyramid of his fingers, he looks like a mobster, "Nothing you'd want to hear about"

No point in asking if he's ever killed anyone then.

Kisame considers my face, "Ever play darts?"

I look at him oddly.

He shrugs, "You're not easy to scare and you're determined. You could learn martial arts, or throwing knives. Swordsmanship even"

I muse over this, "You'd teach me?"

Kisame answers me after the waitress sets our plates down, "If you don't tell you're brother about it, I will"

We bite into our pizzas and grin at each other. He and I both know that it's only so long before he'd find out anyway. Better to get a running start, though.

"I'd like that"

Kisame nods, "I'm not responsible for who you carve up though"

I give him a withering look.

Though he grins, he holds up his hands in a placating gesture, "Your brother has an inane fascination with daggers. I'm just playing it safe"

It occurs to me that my brother is terribly good at darts.

When we're finished, we head back outside. The day is basically spent following Kisame on his errands. By the time Kisame assures me we'll be driving back, I realize that I haven't a clue what he's been up to all day.

He's visited several people, delivered a few letters from my brother and visited two different banks.

In car the car, heading home, I tell him the theory I have about him: "You're a mobster and my brother is one of your associates. You use his art as a selling front for illegal drug smuggling. You visited business partners and made bank transfers for further transactions and your specialty is keeping things under wraps"

Kisame laughs so long and hard that his fried calamari gets cold before he can calm down and eat it, "You are nothing like Itachi"

The comment somehow sounds right to me and I grin in answer.

**T.B.C.**

**Ebra:** Part two! I still have part three to write for the Poker Pieces chapter before I move on. Bear with me. Thanks y'all!

Ja! 


	14. Poker Pieces PrtThree

**Ebra:** Back for a minute: Final chapter of Poker Pieces. It is pretty long. A lot happens. Not all of it good, but not in a bad way.

**Warning(s):** Mild Language, Angst, and Bit-o-Fluff.

**PLEASE READ, REVIEW AND ENJOY!**

* * *

**Purple Cocaine Prison**

**'Poker Pieces-Part Three'**

* * *

_'Don't ever suddenly_

_Become someone else's_

_Lay down beside me_

_Let today be the same_

_As Yesterday_

_And Tomorrow the same_

_As Today_

_Be There and back_

_Someday never_

_Without saying goodbye_

_To Before_

_Don't ever suddenly_

_Leave me alone_

_To fight Life_

_Or Death_

_Or Time_

_Or Space_

_Or myself_

_Love this world_

_Or love me_

_Or Love us both_

_Don't ever suddenly_

_Just leave…'_

"**Untitled**"

* * *

**Naruto**

"There is this saying Haku once told me, you know? It goes: 'Life is not about living, it is about surviving. You are surviving if, and only if, you conquer your fear and the fear of others'. Personally, I never got that, but this must be what's happening to me now"

Neji is making chicken noodle soup and I'm making the butter sandwiches. After Tsunade-Hag cut us loose and I met Haku and Zabuza, we went back to Neji's to get him some stuff to sleep over.

Gaara, Haku, Shikamaru and Shino were due over any minute for dinner, which is what we are making now.

Neji doesn't answer my comment, "In what country is this considered dinner?"

I grin and nudge him with my green-apron covered hip, "This is comfort food, buddy. Don't you have chicken noodle soup when you feel crappy?"

Neji let me loosely braid his hair and pin it up. Somehow, he still manages to look as much as himself as when it's down, "If you feel 'crappy', then you take medication"

"Yeah", I say, rolling me eyes, "In Black and White land"

Neji looks at me mock-innocently, "Isn't that where we live?"

I laugh but it's weak and we can both tell. I'm not as panicked about not being able to live here anymore, but I am feeling a little subdued.

Who could blame me? This is my whole world, minus Neji, taking a dive into the unknown.

"Anyway", I say, transferring my last butter sandwich to one of these really nice eggshell blue plates we borrowed from Neji's kitchen (according to him, they'll never be missed), "D'you get permission to stay over?"

Neji's being nice and letting me avoid the topic we are going to end up talking about during dinner anyway, "I checked in with the adults"

I nod, not really worried about that, but talking just for the sake of talking, "Will Hinata be okay on her own? No big, strong, not to mention capable, older cousin around?"

Neji raises an eyebrow at my slight edge of sarcasm, "Stick to setting the table if you don't feel like talking"

I grin sheepishly at him, feeling a bit ashamed. He's got a point, I think, as I turn from the counter and put my plate on the table. He's basically telling me not to force myself, and that's to be appreciated.

Someone knocks and Neji motions vaguely that he isn't going. I grin at him and bounce out of the kitchen and down the hall. I cleaned up as much as my space to stash clutter allowed and the front hall, at least, is mess free. My room is a different story though.

I take a deep breath at the door, hell bent on acting myself as much as possible, if not for myself, then for the others. I look down at my oversized black overalls and bright orange shirt. I was thinking comfort when I picked them, but now it occurs to me, somewhat absently, that Neji will have trouble getting me out of them later.

If he EVER intends to keep on with what WOULD have happened of Tsunade-Hag hadn't interrupted.

I sigh: she can be SUCH a pain sometimes!

The door knocks again, this time more loudly because it sounds like a rhino is tryin to find its way in on the other side.

I paste on my widest grin and fling the door open.

It doesn't fool anybody.

Shikamaru shakes his head at me while he toes off his sneakers, pausing to pat me on the head on his way past. Shino pats my shoulder and Gaara pauses to give me a long, loaded look and squeeze my hand.

When the hall is empty but for Haku and I, I try to smile one last time, for Haku. He smiles back, sadly, and dumps two of the four bags he was carrying on me and shuts the door behind himself, "Sorry we are late"

I laugh quietly, "Glad you guys are here at all"

Haku smiles genuinely, "Kitchen fist, mopping later"

I allow myself to be led back to my kitchen.

With six people in my kitchen, it's a tight enough fit. It amuses me to see Neji and Gaara eyeing each other. Shino is already sitting down and Shika is sniffing at the soup. The domesticity of the scene makes me laugh.

Haku ignores the strange look directed our way and unpacks his first two bags: sushi and a salad. The third bag he takes from me is a chocolate cake. The fourth he tells me to keep and open later.

Neji puts the soup on the table and we all sit down, Neji next to me, Haku on my left. Gaara on his other side followed by Shino. Shika sits on Neji's other side.

Shika eyes the soup, "Did Naruto make that?"

He directs the question to Neji who points subtlety at the butter sandwiches.

Shika nods, "Right. Nobody eat those"

"HEY!" I say loudly, but grin when Shika shrugs at me and reaches for one anyway.

After that, we all take our own butter sandwiches and start eating. I find myself nibbling, though I'm happy enough to see everyone else eating. Even Gaara eats half of his sandwich and has a bit of soup, though he forgoes the chocolate cake at the end.

Haku chats more then enough for all of us, Shika jumping in to comment and make me laugh and Shino nodding ever so often. Gaara is always quiet unless he has something serious to say and Neji is much the same way. I try to participate, but my heart isn't in it.

Haku and I get up to clear the table and Gaara drops the first bomb of the evening, "Are they going to put you somewhere?"

I swear the conversation dies then and there.

Haku purses his mouth, "There's a social worker digging around about you at school"

I nearly drop the plates I'm holding, "There is?!"

Shika shrugs, "He pulled us out of gym class to ask questions about you"

At my horrified look Shika scoffs, "We didn't tell him anything"

Neji rises and takes the plates from me, "Nothing to worry about"

I look at him, bewildered. If he's aware of everyone starring at him, he ignores them. He's only looking at me, serious as ever, "You're nearly eighteen, where can they put you? Besides, there is nothing they can do if you live with a legal adult near your own age. My uncle isn't decided on my leaving the house yet, but he's not against allowing me to live here"

"WHAT?!"

Haku smiles, some sort of understanding dawning on him, "He's right, Naru. Neji IS already eighteen. If he's leaving with you as a roommate, he doesn't even have to be your guardian"

Shika nods then shrugs, "Kills two birds with one stone"

Despite my brain not having caught up with the conversation, I catch that, "What's that supposed to mean"

Shika gives me a long look and motions to Neji.

"What…oh…OH!" I blush and shrug.

Gaara, looking satisfied with the turn of events, seems to change his mind about the cake and carries what is left of it out into the living room with him. Shino follows him, his glass of coke in hand. Haku finished cleaning up and grins at Neji and I on his way out.

I turn back to Neji, still stumped, "You'd move in with me? In this tiny-as-hell, hole in the wall? What about Hinata? What about you?! Is this even LEGAL?! Are you CRAZY?"

Neji calmly turns from me long enough to put the plates he took from me in the sink and turns back, "Crazy about moving in, or crazy about wanting to do this for you?"

He raises an eyebrow in inquiry and THAT shuts me up.

I swallow past the stupid lump in my throat, "What wouldn't you do for me?"

Neji hugs me loosely, which I appreciate, because any harder and I'll break and says into my hair: "Leave you alone"

"Idiot", I tell him, eyes watering.

"Clearly, you're the idiot", Shika says from the doorway.

I glare around Neji at him and he grins, "Where are the forks? Gaara's looking at the cake like he expects it to feed itself to him"

I laugh a watery laugh and find him one. Neji drags me into the living room after Shika.

In the living room, Shika hands Gaara the fork and he takes a small forkful and puts it in his mouth. He chews solicitously, but his next forkful is bigger then the first.

Neji sits down next to Gaara, leaving the end of the sofa open for Shika. I sit on a floor cushion with Shino and Haku, who is beaming.

I look at him and reluctantly voice what is bothering me, "Isn't this too easy?"

Haku's smile doesn't falter, "Actually, it might be, but I spoke to Tsunade about changing the paperwork to make it look like you no longer lived here. They'll have a hard time bothering you if they don't know where you are"

Gaara pauses in his investigation of chocolate cake to shrug carelessly, "Better idea: Move out for real"

We all turn to look at him, but Neji is nodding, "Somewhere downtown"

I stare at Neji and Shino stares up at the ceiling thoughtfully, as if reading what he says next of it: "The Hyuga Family owns several of the hotels in Boston city, many of them having won awards for their structural and aesthetically pleasing designs. Three of them are private multi-level condo-type housing, privately bought for permanent purchase"

Neji looks lightly impressed, but like I've said before, he's not all that openly expressive.

Shika asks what I was going to, "And how the hell do you know that?"

Shino pushes his shades further up is nose, "My family lives in one"

I laugh, "I'm surrounded by rich people"

Neji ignores that comment, "It would be easy enough to move there. My family would like to keep tabs on me anyway"

I stare at him incredulously, "Is this just me or is this all going a bit too fast?"

Haku interrupts me, "What about school?"

Gaara half rolls his eyes, "They won't stick around forever. Another week, tops. No point in worrying about more then that"

I find myself nodding, dragged out of my own worries by my friends' efforts to help me out. I grin, a bit overwhelmed, "You guys are crazy"

Haku happily agrees, slinging an arm around my shoulder.

* * *

"Don't fall asleep", Neji warns me before he sets off to see everyone out.

I swear I try to listen to him, but my eyes are already dropping shut. After they'd come up with all that stuff from before, they went about hammering out all the little details. Despite the fact that I'm supposed to be the person the most concerned, I found myself nodding off from all the talking.

I lean haphazardly sideways and lie down, curling my back against the sofa. I hear Haku call out to me, probably saying goodbye, but I only mumble quietly in answer.

I'm still partially aware on some level, but my body doesn't seem to want to co-operate.

Soft footsteps rouse me a little bit when Neji comes back into the room, but I can't even drag an eye open long enough to look at him. I hear him sigh and don't resist when he picks me up and curls me into his chest.

He pauses to switch off all the lights and finds the door to my room in the dark.

He snorts when he sees the clutter and lays me down on the bed, an island in the mess of things.

I don't find the strength to keep hold of him when he moves to pull away. Luckily, he changes his mind on his own and climbs into bed with me.

I turn and reach out blindly, weaving a hand blindly into hair and curling an arm against his chest. His own arms wind themselves around my middle and tug me close enough to curl the rest of me into him.

Now, ironically, I'm suddenly more awake for reasons beyond me. I guess close proximity to your local Neji will do that to you.

I reach up a bit to press my face into the hollow of his throat.

"What?" Neji isn't asleep yet.

"Just making sure you're real", I say absently.

Neji's hands move to squeeze my hips in such a way as to make me squirm, and not from discomfort, "I'm real"

"Hmm", I say, craning my neck to kiss him under the chin.

Neji chuckles when I suddenly roll onto him and consider his face. I can't see a heck of a whole lot in the dark, but his eyes and hair and skin look amazing in the vague amount of waning moonlight coming in from the open window.

"Is now a good time to remind you that we haven't had sex?"

Neji gives me an odd look, but it's ruined by the fact that he's smiling slightly, "That's on hold"

I suppose Neji chuckles because of the look of utter surprise on my face. What happened? He was ready to get busy before and now it's time-out? I can't say I'm TOTALLY disappointed, after all I wasn't any more ready before then I am now. All that's changed, apparently, is that Neji has set a date for it.

"On hold till when?" I trace Neji's hairline in an unobtrusive attempt at encouraging some of his bangs out of his eyes.

Neji twines his fingers over the dip between my shoulder blades and closes his eyes as if to sleep, "When you aren't out to do it because you're feeling insecure"

I gape at him and am about to LOUDLY refute when it hits me head on that he's sort of right. Where did this urgency to get busy come from anyway? I'm not a girl; I don't have a time of the month. So, basically, am I feeling a need to do this for reassurance? Neji himself is doing a ridiculously good job of doing that already, so is there something more physical about this I'm missing out on?

I AM pretty touchy-feely, but has that got anything to do with it?

"ARGH! I HATE when you do that!" I thump my forehead against Neji's chest in irritation, "You're turning me into a girl"

Neji doesn't answer unless you count steady breathing. With my forehead resting where it is I can already tell he's asleep.

As I reach down and pull up my comforter, I begin to suspect that Neji was probably too tired to actually do anything, much less get busy. He does, however, get brownie points for being crafty enough to plant a seed of doubt in my blond head.

It got him the quiet he needed to get to sleep, didn't it?

I grin fondly at him and curl up to sleep.

* * *

I am, and have never been, a morning person. Neji, since last time he slept over, has proven he's the opposite. When I pull the comforter down enough to see my room, Neji is sitting on the end of my bed, attaching a hair tie. I sit up on my elbows and contemplate his broad back and long neck. He's so much bigger then I am that it still amazes me. Sasuke is probably a little smaller then him, and Shika and Shino aren't tiny either. Haku, Gaara and I are probably the smallest.

I let my head drop back down onto my pillow, "Where are you going?"

Neji turns, though I only hear him do it, and closes a wrist around my left ankle and pulls. I yelp and burst out laughing as he drags me halfway down the bed and grabs me, comforter and all, before looking me in the eyes, "Home"

I sigh and smooth my hands against his sweater-covered chest, "What do I do?"

Neji shrugs and gestures with a liberated hand the general area, "Pack?"

I look him in the eyes again, baby-blue to silver-gray, "Seriously? Is this going to work?"

Neji sets me down and picks up the bag Haku left me last night and sets it down in my lap, "Worry about packing"

I grin and stand to see him out. It's only when he's standing just inside the door that I notice he's wearing my green sweater and his black jeans from yesterday. That damn sweater looks better on him then it does me! Laughing, I kiss him goodbye and close the door after him.

I turn back, my more subdued side resurfacing and look at the place that has been my home for the better years of my life.

I sigh and walk back to my room and decide to start with all the arbitrary stuff I have: manga and comics and random clothes lying around. After the first ten minutes, it's clear I'm going to need some music and a garbage bag.

In the kitchen, I notice Haku's bag and open it after I grab a garbage bag from under the sink; it's his CD collection.

I laugh and wonder how he could have known and dig up my Boom box, and pick a random CD. Haku is into a lot of that Hip Hop stuff, which I can listen to, but he likes some mellower stuff too. When the first song starts, I get curious and glance at the CD case. I've never heard of Citizen Cope, but they have a nice sound.

Just when I've gotten myself immersed, I hear a knock at the door. I freeze, unsure I should go check, in case it's the social worker looking for me, but then I hear the door open and close.

I know I locked it when Neji left, so I'm pretty sure I know who it is. Shaking my head and grinning, I keep sorting out the newest batch of crap from under my bed.

"You're up early, brat"

I pull a face at Tsunade, "Yea? I though hags slept in on weekdays?"

Tsunade's eye twitches but she stays where she is and calm, which is surprising. She looks around and runs a hand over her shoulder to sweep one of her low ponytails over her shoulder, "Need any help, Blondie?"

I gape at her. First, she doesn't punch me out for the hag comment, and then she offers to help me? I grin and motion to my closet, "Are you THAT sad I'm leaving?"

She huffs and throws the closet door open with her usual force, which makes it rattle in its hinges, and grumbles, "You wish"

After that, we fall into companionable silence, except the music, and clean our respective corners.

Tsunade turns to me suddenly, the case she gave me her necklace in hand. She gives me a long look and I smile.

"Neji's is wearing it"

Tsunade's eyes widen, "You gave it to him? When's the wedding?"

"Shut that big hole you call your face!" I say mock-sternly and have to laugh at the scandalized look on her face. It's amazing what she's letting me get away with this morning.

She huffs and turns back to her task, "I better get gran-kids outta this"

I gape at her back, "Hello? Two guys?"

Tsunade shrugs without turning around, "It's called adoption, stupid"

I pause. Firstly, I never thought that far ahead in matters concerning my future and second, I never though of adopting. Ironic isn't it? I was never adopted, but I could do for some poor kid what I always wish someone could have had the heart to do for me back when I needed it. The fact that they want to place me somewhere NOW doesn't count now that I'm old enough to handle my own crap.

"-least one girl", Tsunade is saying when I tune in again.

"What?" I say, absently.

Tsunade sighs and motions over her shoulder, "You have to have at least one girl, maybe more then one boy to keep Neji busy. Might be good for you, a little parenthood"

I laugh, "What do you know about parenthood?"

Tsunade gives me at sad look over the top of her shoulder, "More then you think"

That shuts me up. I've been doing that a lot lately, putting my own foot in my mouth. I occupy myself with resuming what I was sorting.

"Anyway", she continues, "I'll do what I can for you, I'm not old enough to sit around and watch just yet"

* * *

The apartment, when we're done half past noon, is empty. It looks abandoned, what with all the garbage bags pilled by the door and all the luggage lumped together on the kitchen floor. I stand in the hall with Tsunade, just looking.

She looks as tired as I do, and I reach over and loop my arm in hers, "Thanks for helping me pack up my whole life"

She grins, "You're bound to do it at least once more in your lifetime. This isn't the hardest part"

She's right too. Saying goodbye to her, to this place, to this reality, will be hardest.

Sighing in annoyance, I shake the arm I have in my grip, "Will you shut the hell up? You're making this worse"

Tsunade cackles and gives me a one armed hug hard enough to crush my shoulders and sweeps me out of the place, saying she has paperwork and that I might want to visit my workplace, let Anko know what's up, considering I'm moving and need time off.

About my moving, Tsunade seems as sure about it as Neji, which makes me a little suspicious, but whatever, my stomachs empty and I feel a headache coming on.

Since that's not a bad train of thought, I grab my bus pass and leave my keys with Tsunade. Taking the bus is something I like to do, especially during the day, when I should be in school and there is no one my own age wandering about, except for the odd skipper.

I get off down the street from my workplace, at the café where Shika works and order a quick bite to eat. I get near-migraines when I go without eating too long, not to mention that I have a serious energy-eating metabolism to cater to.

I walk the rest of the way down the street and ignore the 'Closed' sign and walk into the store. The bell tingles overhead and I freeze in the doorway, peering incredulously at whom I see at the counter.

Itachi is dressed more casually then I have yet to have ever seen him: deep mauve hoodie, black slacks, red converse sneakers and hair down.

At the sound of the bell, he turned, laying deep wine-red eyes on me. I also get a clear look at his face, which is as pristine as ever despite the tiniest blue bruise along his lower jaw.

Shaking myself out of my stupor, I step inside and let the door fall closed behind me.

"Naruto, is it?" Itachi asks me in that dangerously calm voice of his.

I nod and step over to him, cautious despite myself, "Yeah and you're Itachi? Sasuke's brother?"

He nods back, seeming amused by my guarded approach.

"Delivery?" I ask as I slip casually behind the counter, putting a short distance between us, which despite everything, reassures me.

"Termination of contract" Itachi corrects me, still amused by my not so subtle attempt at distance.

I pause, "Termination?"

Itachi lays his ring hand on the counter, casual like a predator about to pounce, "No more deliveries"

I nod, but wonder, "Something wrong?"

Itachi remains motionless for a second or two before his mouth curls up at the corners in a decidedly sardonic smile, "At home, not here"

"Is Sasuke okay?" I ask, automatically concerned, amusing Itachi further if the way his smile widens slightly is any indication.

"Kisame is taking care if it"

I want to ask how, because I'm not saying I don't like Kisame, but he's big, and pretty tough, so if you hear that HE'S taking care of something, he's probably killing it somewhere quiet, "Oh…okay"

Itachi looks past me to Anko who is suddenly standing behind me, "Signatures?"

She nods and lays a clipboard down, looking more serious then I'm used to seeing. Itachi signs the marked places with a flowing, singular cursive. Nothing fancy, but captivating nonetheless.

Anko takes back the clipboard and hurries back to her office.

Itachi focuses his attentions on me again, "No need to worry. Sasuke can handle himself; I've made sure of that"

I gulp and nod.

Itachi tilts his head thoughtfully and regards me less intensely, "Something wrong?" He echoes back to me.

Something about his eyes makes me want to spill the beans, but I glance down and away and shake my head.

"Good", I hear him say.

The door opens and the bell tingles; I glance up.

Kisame is standing in the doorway: slacks, suspender and sleeveless turtleneck. He looks grim, but when he nods at Itachi, the latter seems pleased.

Itachi turns back to me, holding out the ring hand. I reach out and take it, allowing him to shake once, firmly, before letting go.

Kisame holds the door wider open when Itachi walks past and eyes me thoughtfully.

I stare back and he shakes his head, holding up a hand as he walks out, saying goodbye his own way.

Not long after they are gone, I muse over what Itachi was saying about having made sure Sasuke can take care of himself, not to mention Kisame's grim look. It gives me this bad feeling I can't explain.

Anko peeks out of behind her office door, "Why the hell didn't you tell me they left, I've been suffocating in here waiting for the all-clear!"

She's suddenly herself again and I'm beginning to think that Itachi has the effect he has on everyone, not just me.

That realization scares me a little more then it should, too.

I grin and shrug, earning myself a light punch.

I tell Anko I have to talk to her, and we settle in the office while Autopilot Naruto relates the main points to her. The real me is still on about Sasuke. I'd be ashamed about being so hung up on this if my gut wasn't twisting to hard thinking about it…

* * *

Turns out Neji didn't have any trouble getting the place, considering he's so mature and he was right about his Uncle wanting to keep tabs on him not to mention that he had to accept to still accommodate Hinata as per usual.

I didn't have the heart to have a big goodbye party, so we all ended up just moving my stuff that same afternoon. At least, I surmised, that living downtown would have its advantages. Shino lives in the same building, two floors under us and Haku and Gaara live within walking distance. Also, Shika was close enough to take the bus to see, on top of things, which he'd never been before. I promised Tsunade I'd call at least twice a week to check in too.

On the other side, there were a lot of new things to get used to.

Living WITH Neji, for one, wasn't going to be the easiest thing in the world, not because he's difficult or anything, but because now that I finally had him, I'd be sharing him with his family. Not to mention, I'd be alone more often then not in a place nearly eight or nine or even ten times bigger then my last place considering it's made to comfortably fit more then two young adults.

Lucky for me, it was already the weekend, and Neji was around to help me unpack. We decided to stay only on one side of the place, simply because we didn't need the other half. We stuck to the kitchen, living room, and bathroom and nearest bedroom and hall closet.

Neji also had to explain about this whacktastic security system around the place, about the doorman and the maid that comes in twice a week, about that bin in the hall just outside our front door being for the laundry, about the emergency numbers on the red phone in the kitchen cabinet above the furthest counter, and about the automatic showers and taps.

All in all, it was drastically different from what I was used to, not to mention all the perks: a ridiculous amount of channels on the TV, the room-by-room heating system, the gas fireplace and the fact that all the furniture was already in the place before we got there.

Saturday, Neji agreed, was hell, since we'd had to set a bunch of pre-settings on the electronics of the place, plus toss the stuff that didn't actually get to stay in the place.

Sunday we spent lying in bed. Neji slept like a rock, which I was amused, if not a little concerned about, since he'd been coming in and out of the place going between his home and the apartment.

I felt bad about being responsible for his family working him so hard, since he'd struck some kind of deal with his uncle on my behalf, especially since I was the one benefiting the most from this arrangement.

Neji, being as he is, never complained and just took things in stride. He even let me complain myself to sleep Sunday night when I'd thrown a mini fit over his Uncle calling him over for dinner.

He's awfully patient with me.

I can't say I'm totally unhappy, though. This is the best thing to happen to me since Neji.

* * *

Monday is a nightmare. I wake up alone, Neji having had to go to school and me still in hideout due to social worker guy.

It's so amazingly weird walking around the new place by myself. It doesn't feel like home yet and I can't say I like the ridiculous amount of space all that much. Finding anything in the fridge is adventurous and the remote for the TV is impossible.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but lack of human contact has me jittery and I can't expect my friends to hang around all the time. I'm not a brat; contrary to what Tsunade was fond of saying, so why am I tripping so hard over all this?

Exhausted with myself, I return to bed, waking later to find Neji home along with Gaara and Haku.

Haku relates some of the more interesting events of the day to me while Gaara crawls into bed with me, mussing his hair further and wrinkling his blue silk Cookie monster jacket.

Neji orders pizza but falls asleep before it gets here. Haku takes that opportunity to drag Gaara and I out of bed to leave him rest.

In the kitchen Gaara takes a single slice of pizza and moves to the living room to figure out the remote. Alone, Haku turns serious and whispers to me, "Do you know if anything is up with Sasuke?"

My gut tightens and I shake my head, unsure, "I met his brother on Friday, but I had a bad feeling about the whole conversation"

Haku nods, absently, and Gaara interrupts us, "He's switched schools"

We both look at each other, incredulous, and I motion for Gaara to elaborate.

Gaara has pulled off his jacket and is wearing a black and white checkerboard shirt, to go with his black jeans, "In the office, they were doing the paperwork. I was there to update my medical records"

Haku's eyes widen, "I remember the secretaries being all excited about it. Apparently, a student had been transferred without first going through the office"

Gaara nods, panda eyes narrowing thoughtfully, "Which means it was a sudden change"

I nod, piecing things from Itachi's conversation into this. Makes sense, doesn't it? Itachi had a vague bruise under his jaw, which means he probably fought with Sasuke and by the looks of it, won. He was also terminating his contract with the Gallery, which meant he was probably switching places, not to mention the fact that he said Sasuke was solid enough to handle anything Itachi might throw his way.

Did that mean Sasuke was forced to make the school transfer? Is that what Kisame had been taking care of? And looking grim from having to deal with pissed off Sasuke on top of things?

Gaara nods at my assumptions and I realize I've been rationalizing out loud. Haku shakes his head, "Itachi may not just have switched galleries. I went over to visit Sasuke and they told me the apartment was already up for sale"

I gape at him, "Like, it's empty?"

Haku nods, "They are already gone"

Gaara shakes his head, "Itachi might be gone, but a school transfer means Sasuke is still around. If not living at home, then maybe at a private school. A dormitory"

Then that was what Itachi meant about Sasuke being tough enough to handle whatever. Being dumped in a private school might make Sasuke bitter but it wouldn't kill him.

"Any ideas where?" I ask Gaara, since he's the one the most on the ball.

Gaara shrugs, "There aren't that many private schools around. My brother, Kankuro, attends one, though he comes home the afternoons"

Haku checks the time and has to leave, since Zabuza will be home soon and Gaara opts to go with him.

They leave me like that, leftover pizza, the TV on and my head a mess.

Methodically, I put the pizza in the fridge, turn off the TV and clamber back into bed with Neji, who even deeply asleep curls me into him when I tap on his shoulder.

I lie there a long time awake. I fake sleep when Neji wakes later to eat and do his homework, and continue to play dead when Neji comes back to bed, freshly showered. He curls around me and fall asleep again as easily as he did earlier in the afternoon, but still, I lie awake.

If I ever see Sasuke again, how much more broken, or dangerous, or angry will he be?

* * *

Ebra: Eh OUI! Done the third part. I like it, how about you guys? See you all soon. Please tell me what you think.

P.S: About 'Citizen Cope', their songs 'If There's Love', 'Sun's Gonna Rise', 'Hurricane Waters' and 'Bullet And A Target' inspired this chapter.

Ja!


	15. What A Thing Took Done

Ebra: Thanks ahead of time for 1) not forgetting about this story and 2) reviews. I've been looking back at my chapters thus far and I'm not in hot water yet with porny-ish stuff, so I guess I can post a few chapters here.

Warning(s): Violence, Mild Language, Lime and Angst

Disclaimer: NOT MINE, according to the fine print. Chapter title from Coldplay's "Yellow"

PLEASE READ, REVIEW AND ENJOY!

~!!~

Purple Cocaine Prison

"What a thing took done"

~!!~

{Naruto}

It didn't take me very long to decide to find Sasuke; the question was how I was going to do it. I didn't have any leads, really, and I wasn't about to bounce my ideas off Neji. He's been really cool when talking about Sasuke since we last did, but I'm not sure he's ready to hear anymore right now, whether Sasuke's missing or not.

Haku seems to think wherever he is Sasuke's going to be fine. I'd agree, but really, considering how he can get, Sasuke's really very good at pretending to be all right even if he's furious or confused inside. Sasuke may give the illusion of being together, but that's what's dangerous to begin with. He finds a weakness and he'll try to kill it off by freezing up a little more inside.

I have to at least see for myself that he's fine, and I use the word 'fine' in the loosest possible way.

I spend my first Tuesday in the apartment poring over our phonebook. It shouldn't have been all that surprising but there are more then two or three private schools around, and I haven't got any clues as to where to start. If anything, I should just quit with this while I'm ahead.

I shower and wear Neji's pajamas, skip breakfast because I'm not up to it, and lie around taking another shot at figuring out the TV remote.

By the time I come to the conclusion that the remote is better left alone, its early afternoon and someone is buzzing from downstairs.

I jump up and sprint to where the intercom is and press the required button. I don't have to bother checking who it might be since there's hardly anyone who knows I'm here, besides people I already trust.

I leave the door unlocked and head into the bedroom to change into something less revealing then one of Neji's size-large-on-me tops.

Our room is probably my favorite thing about this place. The bed is a little bigger then I think we'd need, and the size of the windows in here is a little unnerving, but on the whole, it's niche-like and private. I rummage in the closet for the nearest decent thing to wear and end up with jeans and my orange swirl t-shirt. I don't bother with socks, since I don't know where they are anyway and pull on a pale blue bandana to hide my ridiculously messy hair.

I grin at myself in the mirror hung on the back of the bedroom door and step out into the hall just as the front door is clicking shut.

Rounding the corner, I see Gaara toeing off a pair of lime green and gray high-top converse sneakers. He's wearing a black headscarf, wrapped to keep his hair off his face, the ends trailing over a shoulder, a bright green t-shirt with Wario running across its hem and gray capris. His socks are bright yellow and his belt is an almost matching shade of brighter orange.

Gaara kinda narrows his eyes at my widening grin; I'm always amazed at Gaara's sense of fashion and the fact that he always looks good in what he actually chooses to wear.

Gaara toes off his second sneaker and eyes me only in passing on the way to the kitchen. I follow, curious. Gaara isn't much for long drawn out convo, but he wouldn't be here, ditching class, unless he had something to tell me.

In the kitchen, I watch Gaara methodically go through my fridge and find one of Neji's yogurt-type drinks. I perch on one of the stools while he puts his cookie monster lunchbox on the counter and patiently takes three pills one after the other, and chugs a medical smelling drink before sipping quietly at the yop afterwards.

I'm not about to rush him, so I start to stare out a window. If anything, these are something I'm not used to: being in a place with two wall-to-wall windows making up half the apartment and being high enough not to need curtains for them.

"Kankuro saw him"

It takes me a minute to turn back to Gaara and understand what he's saying.

Gaara tilts his head and continues, "At his school. It's private"

I stare at him long enough for those tell tale wrinkles between his eyes to appear. Gaara doesn't frown deep enough to match any normal person, but he never bothers much either, because if he's frowning at all, it speaks for itself.

I shake my head to clear the cobwebs, "That was easy"

Gaara seems to think so too, "Ironically"

I grin slowly, "So you're playing detective?"

Gaara regards me from across the table, light green eyes tracing my face, "You're overreacting. No one likes it"

I'm assuming by no one, he means my friends, and when I realize this, my smile falls a little, "I'm not trying to be a pain about this, you know"

Even when I say it, it doesn't feel like I'm explaining myself enough, but Gaara is Gaara, so he only waits for me to elaborate.

Why am I so worried? Anytime I see Sasuke, or even look his way, it means trouble. We fight more then anything and I don't understand his attitude with me. As far as I can see, I've only been trying to tolerate him, even be his friend if he'd let me, but he's always pushing back on me or trying to get a rise out of me for all the wrong reasons. I wouldn't mind the fighting so much if something came from it.

I shrug, finally, undecided, "I'm just worried. I can't really put it any other way..."

Gaara nods; continues, "But its Sasuke"

I grin ruefully, "Yeah, he's an asshole"

Gaara's eyes narrow, "Kankuro is too, but I'm never worried about him"

I laugh at Gaara's surety, "You might think they are assholes, but we both care about our assholes, even if it's just a little. Just because a person can take care of themselves doesn't mean you can't care about them"

Gaara digests this for a minute and tells me, "We don't get along. Temari is mediator always. Why bother?"

I cock my head and try to think and answer as I go, "Well, why do you hang out with me, or worry about me?"

Gaara gives me a look about switching things up on him, but answers nonetheless, "I have formed an attachment"

And I smile, "So you like me, right? Otherwise you wouldn't bother"

Gaara nods, though I can see he's trying to figure out where the hell this is going.

"So", I say, continuing, "Think of it like this: Kankuro is your brother and though you might not be aware of it, you are attached to him and Temari too. So, that attachment is a bond. You look after it by sometimes doing as little as acknowledging the person, so the person on the other end of that bond will do the same for you. The more effort you put into getting along, respectively, the better things are between you. Look at us, I care about you and you care right back, so it works out, doesn't it?"

Gaara's still assessing so it doesn't surprise me when he asks again, "That is the why, but what about the bother?"

I grin, "Are you trying to make life a bigger pain than it already is? Bothering sometimes makes life easier because it's better to have people with you then against you, isn't it?"

Gaara takes on an introspective look, "Hn"

It's ironic about talking to Gaara, but having to explain these more enlightening aspects of my life make me feel better. No one is perfect, but in doing your best; you can make life easier for the people you care about. That's particularly why I don't get Sasuke. What could I possibly give him for him to stop being the way he is with me? I never really believed him liking me, not the way Neji does, in the first place, so that's not something I think about, but I am still confused about how dangerous he gets when we argue about it.

I look across the table at Gaara and notice how much more tired he looks. I'm not stupid enough not to associate his new medication with his drowsiness. They are trying to get him to sleep a few hours at a time, but Gaara isn't as used to sleeping as anyone might think.

I stand and walk around the island, "C'mere"

Gaara settles his eyes on me heavily and I smile at him, reaching out and taking his hand. I tug him off the stool and he follows me, not yet asleep but getting there fast.

I curl up with him on the couch and wait. Gaara may hate me for it, but talking to him when he's like this guarantees you can ask him just about anything without him incinerating you with the jade laser beam eyes.

I grab the throw and cocoon us, "Is Kankuro that bad?"

Gaara glares at me and stubbornly remains silent. I wait only another minute or two before he talks, "He doesn't like me"

I nod, not intending to argue, for the sake of him not falling asleep through it, "Do you know why?"

Gaara's head lolls onto my shoulder, and I watch, fascinated, as his eyes finally close, "My mother died because of me"

I frown. He sounds so sure, "But..."

Gaara opens his eyes long enough to shoot my theory about his glaring to pieces, "No more questions"

It's clear he's no longer in the mood for it and by the time I mumble an apology, he's already asleep.

~!!~

Haku can make a racket when you least expect it. He's generally good about things, since he stays focused by being organized and methodical, but those rare few times that things are out of his hands? Pandemonium.

Shika seems generally unconcerned and Neji isn't particularly the panicking type, so they are able to fill me in on the situation at school.

Apparently my social worker's name is Iruka. According to Shino, whom I was on the phone with not five minutes ago, Kakashi has taken an interest to said social worker and they've somehow managed to become friends.

Aside from that, all the girls at school are trying to find out where Sasuke has gotten to, though I can't imagine what good it would do them, and our cooking class's teacher's 'Luncheon' is this week and Gaara's been silently threatening our Cooking class teacher, Mrs. Zen, with absence the day of the occasion.

I miss school for half a week and all hell breaks loose. If that isn't twisted logic, I'm not sure what is.

Gaara, who woke up when Haku marched in, seems perfectly alert sitting tucked into my side watching Haku pace the room through slitted eyes.

Haku stops long enough to tell the room in general, "I don't think that Iruka person is leaving anytime soon"

Shika rolls his eyes, head in hand, "And this is giving you gray hair because...?"

Haku makes it a point not to argue needlessly, he's pretty mature after all, but the catty glare he shoots Shika's way is definitely his equivalent of the four-year-old-sticking-his-tongue-out-at-you face.

Gaara rubs at his forehead, clearly not liking all the noise after such a quiet afternoon with me and tells us, "When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear"

I look at Gaara and I look at Haku's face, and I laugh, because really? Is Haku even capable of swearing?

Shika grins and Haku shuts his mouth; Neji's mouth sort of curls up at the corners.

Gaara shifts away from me, making his way to the kitchen and tells us on his way out: "Humor is the affectionate communication of insight" Then, he's gone around the corner.

"Geez", Shika says, after a minute, grinning now, "…let a guy sleep and he gets philosophical on you"

Haku shrugs and sits in Gaara's vacated space, "He's right though. I'm worried about nothing. He'll never find you if we keep not saying anything. He'll have to give up sometime"

Shika snorts, "And nothing really worth knowing is taught to you in school anyway, so no worries"

Neji seems to appreciate Shika's mild sarcasm no matter when it's being used, so it's not so unusual to see him amused in the face of Shika's latest commentary.

I sigh, "Why is everyday with us an episode of The Peanut Gallery?"

~!!~

{Temari}

Despite the fact that I grew up with Kankuro and Gaara's hostility towards each other, I've never seen a cease-fire initiated by Gaara ever happen. Kankuro will temporarily back off when we have to be anywhere, together in close proximity in public, to prevent general violence, but seeing Gaara wave the white flag is kind of fascinating.

Kankuro stares at Gaara, "Say that again?"

Gaara's been looking healthier since he sleeps a few hours at a time more regularly now, but his eyes are as sharp as ever, "Take me to school with you"

Kankuro stares over at me, eyes pleading.

I shrug, "Why not?"

Gaara nods agreeably.

"What the fuck for?" Kankuro is clearly panicking at the idea.

Gaara makes a show of looking harmless, "Just curious"

Kankuro looks at me again, not so much scared as baffled. Gaara's been increasingly more civil since making friends, so we're still learning to take this newer Gaara in stride.

I smile slightly, "What harm could it do? Show him around some"

Kankuro wants to argue but there really is no reason to, especially with Gaara promising to behave himself. I'm more curious about why he'd want to go to school with Kankuro at all instead of the shock of him asking to in the first place.

Kankuro pushes back his breakfast and uneasily stands. He stares at me for a minute, frowning, but I just shrug. Refusing is likely to make Gaara mad, which he's still completely capable of doing, and no one wants that this early in the morning on a Friday.

Kankuro sighs and motions for Gaara to follow him as he leaves the kitchen and grabs his backpack.

Gaara, wearing his Ruby Gloom t-shirt and back jeans, calmly takes another minute to finish his toast and drink the rest of his tea before leaving after Kankuro.

I stare after them, noting the irony of Gaara having eaten all his breakfast for once and Kankuro having eaten none of his own.

I'm sure Gaara isn't going to give Kankuro a particularly hard time; they are brothers after all.

~!!~

{Kankuro}

"Seat belt" I say, unnecessarily.

Gaara, sitting in the passenger seat beside me, mutely does as he's told.

Maybe I'm overreacting but I'm sort of waiting for him to snap and start a fight with me. Gaara and me, we don't talk much: I shout and he ignores me. I try to act like his older brother and get threatened with gruesome death. I vote for pizza and he orders sushi. I nag to show I care and get beat up some of the time.

This is fucking weird.

I haven't got a clue what to say to him, so I turn on the radio. Gaara watches my nervous movements like he's not actually noticing them or maybe making an effort not to.

He shifts to look out the window instead.

Grateful to at least be able to pretend he's not watching me out of the corner of his eye, I start driving, mindful of not starting a conversation when I have just about 50 million questions.

With Gaara, it's a question of what you see is what you get. I'm better off waiting to see what he's really up to.

~!!~

I'm not partial to scenery or anything, but my school's pretty cool. It's gated and there are a lot of chill places to hang out if you're not in class or just skipping.

I park and wait for Gaara to step out, "This is it"

Gaara glances at me and looks around at the castle-like way the school is built with its lined trees and the cobblestone-style walkways. It's like a secret society.

Gaara turns and eyes me, "Do you have class?"

I stare at him, slowly closing my car door, "Yes. People who attend school usually have class"

Gaara's lips curl faintly at the corners, "…"

"Anyhoo", I say, nervous again, "I'll give you the extra-short tour"

I straighten my tie as I walk and point out the outdoor tennis courts and pool, the library and mess hall building and the general classes' area. Gaara seems unusually attentive and I realize he's waiting for something. Casually, I keep naming places: the auto shop, the second gym building, the quad, the main office and nurse's building-

And Gaara's eyes zoom in on the building like a search and destroy robot.

Grinning, I stop walking a step behind him: Bingo.

"What would you possibly be looking for in the main office?"

Gaara seems unperturbed by my question. He merely glances my way before setting off for the building, "Follow and see"

Curiosity hopelessly aroused, I follow. The bell for first period sounds, but Gaara and I move against the flow of people, eliciting not a glance from anyone.

At the entrance to the building, Gaara holds the door open for me and I stare at him long enough that he almost gets irritated, but I quickly bypass him and go in.

Once inside, noise from outside seemingly shut off, Gaara and I peer down the sun-shadowed hallway.

"Coast is clear, I think"

Gaara shrugs as if to say it wouldn't matter even if it weren't and we walk leisurely down the hallway, me looking out for people in a position to send me off to class and Gaara for…something.

I watch Gaara, fascinated by this person who is both my Gaara and someone elses Gaara. Mine is less then half as calm as this one because mine doesn't even try to act sane but this new side of him defies explanation. He's almost human. I shudder theatrically and Gaara glances my way briefly.

I look away and return to watching when I'm sure he's not looking anymore. Gaara walks smoothly, unhurried and relaxed in an almost unnerving way; his new slip-on Vans don't make sound as he moves. It's like he's there and he isn't.

Stopping in front of the office, Gaara slips in and I after him.

Unsurprisingly, it's empty. This place is only busy during registration and the attendance is done via computer. Nonetheless, anyone might pass by and see us.

"We are in here because?"

Gaara makes a beeline for the computer on the other side of the high desk and sits down. He stares at the screen for a second and cracks his left and right knuckles before attacking the keyboard.

We are out of there in less then five minutes.

On our way back to the car, Gaara seems awfully satisfied with himself.

In the parking lot, Gaara walks right passed the car.

I can tell he's got another place to be, but I feel like offering anyway, "Want a ride?"

The new Gaara shakes his head and waves once over his shoulder, "Thanks, but you'll be late for class"

Gaara's never spoken so civilly to me before and standing there digesting this makes me later for class anyway, absently I call after him: "I'm already late"

~!!~

{Naruto}

"You did that for me?"

Gaara seems wholly unconcerned with my surprise. I guess he doesn't think making semi-peace with Kankuro just to get me this info is major stuff, which it is, by the way. It isn't like I would've had the presence to not-sneak into the office and print Sasuke's personal info, class schedule and dorm arrangements.

Grinning, I shake my head at him from across my living room, "Who said you weren't salvageable?"

Gaara's response is to wander back into my kitchen. He's is my personal fridge troll.

~!!~

In the afternoon, Neji's back from school and semi-cranky. He's been 'summoned' home for the evening, so I'm going to be on my own.

AGAIN.

Like a little more solitude will drive me any more bat-shit then I already am. I'm in boyfriend-withdrawal, yes, but on the verge of complete insanity, no and I tell Neji this. Repeatedly.

Neji sees through the jabbering and the madness and tells me, clearly aiming to comfort: "It'll only be a few hours and I'll bring you a movie"

I rebel despite myself and cling to him like a barnacle, preventing the completion of any significant chore in the vicinity. I proceed to bully him into bed and get my fix.

"I didn't know you got pushy", Neji tells me, while I arrange his limbs to my liking.

"I didn't know you'd leave me alone in this mausoleum so many hours at a time", I reply, trying to be serious but not particularly keen on talking. Mouths can do much better things in the presence of each other.

"Hm"

Done, I lean back and admire my work; I use the hand not holding the end of Neji's ponytail to push my bandana off my head and through my hair, "Perfect"

Neji cracks an eye open and looks at me, then leisurely lets it falls shut, smiling that faint smile I live only to kiss off his face.

I grin dangerously, "Playing dead won't get you anywhere"

I wiggle and mossy down till we are eye level and dive: I kiss his eyebrows and eyelids and each cheek and his nose and chin before promptly settling on his mouth.

The way his hands creep up my back gives me the impression I wasn't the only one experiencing withdrawal.

Neji opens my mouth with his lips and makes himself at home, one hand settling on the place where my head and neck meet. Growing oddly breathless, I make to pull away, but Neji stops me moving back and leans up on an elbow to corner me, fitting his mouth so completely against mine that he steals the air out of my lungs.

I feel heat rising in my cheeks and my hands slowly bunch in the fabric of Neji's top, but I'm not scared.

An odd lassitude makes the fistfuls I've just made in Neji's shirt go lax and Neji rolls us over, putting a large, warm hand over my slowing heartbeat. When we separate, there's a thin thread of saliva between us and instead of noticing the semi-grossness of it, it makes me think that Neji was drinking me into himself.

I stare dazedly at him and he smiles, "Way to make a guy's worries go right out the window"

He laughs quietly into my shoulder.

I get to thinking: he likes me well enough, that's clear, so why haven't we gotten further? I'm beginning to understand the depth of Neji's control over himself and notice the fact that he's always the person that comes out on top, never mind the times I start it, so knowing this, what'll throw him for a loop?

He's stopped laughing and those silver-gray eyes are getting reacquainted with mine. As we stare at each other, it occurs to me.

It's a little extreme, but I'm no boy scout.

Grinning into his face, I nudge him, "Lemme up, I'm gonna show you somethin'"

Neji raises an amused eyebrow and rolls off me and into a sitting position.

I sit up and hop off the bed. Standing just far enough that Neji won't immediately be able to reach out and stop me, I methodically peel off my shirt and chuck my jeans and shorts and I'm standing in my bare skin before I could have had a chance to have second thoughts.

Neji's mouth drops a little ways open and I smile. I'm not much for presentation but Neji seems frozen solid just the same. Only someone who loves you would be that awed to see you tout nu.

I cautiously make my way back to bed, somehow being able to find humor in Neji's deer in headlights look and crawl shamelessly into his lap, "So, long time no see, stranger"

I am proud to say that my voice is not trembling.

Neji's hands mould themselves to my shoulder blades and he stares at my bare bits; inch by inch getting the clearest look he's ever had at my nude body with proper lighting.

As if in slow motion, Neji's mouth fastens itself to a spot on my neck, sucking deeply in a manner that not only makes me squirm but makes me hot in gauche places and I can't stop the porn star moan no matter what I do, which clearly pleases Neji.

Brat. It's his fault I even have a porn star moan…

In an effort not to showcase this new vocal ability further, I try to close my legs, forgetting I'd wrapped them unconsciously around Neji's waist, which, of course, draws attention because Neji's abdomen is in the way.

Being the genius that he is, he already knows what's up and wraps a ridiculously soft hand around said up-ness. I don't need to say that the porn star moan makes a vicious comeback.

Neji's mouth trails down to a nipple and there is a repeat of the sucking. The only way I am going to stop being angry at my lack of vocal chord control is if I occupy myself.

I reach out blindly, my hand skimming down Neji's side till I reach his waist. Concentrating the best I can and trying to project that I know what I'm doing, I pop the button on Neji's jeans and slowly lower the zipper.

Neji pauses and seems to wonder if I dare.

I do dare: boldness, thy middle name is Naruto.

Intently, I bring my second hand up and slip my fingers under the hem of Neji's briefs only to be stopped as I slowly lift them. I struggle slightly.

Neji's hand closes around my wrist and doesn't loosen when I make to continue, so I glance up at him, genuinely surprised, "What? Not allowed?"

Neji's eyes have darkened to a steely gray and his breathing is deep but irregular, "You sure?"

I pause and seriously consider the question before grinning at him, "I'm sure; are you okay with that?"

Neji smiles faintly, despite the situation and slowly releases my wrists and lies back against our pale blue sheets, eyes silently daring me to do what I might.

Slightly apprehensive but unwilling to back down, I take in his relaxed position and decide to go straight for the prize. I fit my small hands around his waist and tug resolutely until his jeans and briefs slide partway down over his hips. I keep my eyes glued to a spot on his right thigh until I'm sure I can look without fainting.

A boy is a boy is a boy, and I KNOW we all have the same equipment, but seeing it, up close and personal, in a state of not-softness has me marveling at it; my self-consciousness now only a lingering niggles at the back of my thoughts.

I don't glance at Neji. The last thing I wanna do is get embarrassed and lose my nerve; and run my thumb over the tip.

Neji jerks and moans really softly but I hardly hear it as fascinated as I am with how soft it is. Who knew?

My whole right hand closes around it of its owl volition and I move my hand over it, gently at first but with a firmer grip when I notice Neji's labored breathing.

Finally daring to look up Neji, I pause in my motions. He doesn't make a sound, his chest heaves up and down with breaths that are more deep than noisy and his eyes are barely slivers of silver peering out at me from under long bangs. He lifts an arm and slowly trails his fingers down the arm of the hand still closed around him and my whole body shivers and is startled back into motion.

Neji exhales softly and visibly fights to keep his eyes open but they slip shut anyway when I start to squeeze on the upstrokes and rub my thumb under the head. It never occurred to me that I'd ever be doing this to anyone other than myself and feel grateful for the trust it must take Neji to let me see him like this.

Still, it doesn't seem enough, so gathering a bit of scattered courage; I cautiously wrap my mouth around the head and slow my hand movements. I am freaking out a little here as this is beyond the well of my admittedly limited experience, but _**that**_ sound: not quite a moan but louder than a sigh has me drawing a little more into my mouth.

This could get awkward if I keep thinking to myself, so I glance up at Neji again to gauge his reaction instead. The look on his face is _**bliss**_, the toe-curling kind and I can't help smiling around my mouthful. As if sensing me looking, Neji struggles (actually struggles!) to open his eyes long enough to give me a look that is part pleading and nearly all affection.

Encouraged, I suck a little harder than I dared to before and find a pace that suits me and my inexperience. I'm not doing an amazing job or anything, so I'm taken completely by surprise when Neji's back arches and a surprising amount of come fills my mouth. I swallow gingerly to stop from gagging messily and sit back, childishly rubbing my mouth with the back of my hand.

Neji's laying there, hair a mess and eyes closed, the most serene expression ever made on his face. He's practically glowing.

"All right?" My voice is surprisingly rough and I blush despite everything.

Neji sits up slowly; dazed eyes locked on mine and reaches for me. I go willingly until I see he means to kiss me and turn my head away in time for his lips to land on my cheek.

He can't kiss me _now_, I haven't brushed my teeth yet!

"Naruto"

I never thought my name could sound so important; I hesitantly turn to him, eyes downcast and Neji doesn't try to raise my face or talk to me. He dips his head and catches my mouth by surprise, turning it into an open mouth kiss before I can think to stop him and I find myself pressed into the mattress, him between my legs and right up against me by the time he releases me long enough to let me breathe.

Neji seems wide-awake now; drowsiness dissipated in seconds, and is starring at me in a way that shouts 'On-Your-Back-Or-Hands-And-Knees?'.

I gaze at him; caught between wanting to tell him I love him or just dying from embarrassment.

Neji kisses my nose and trails a hand from my hip to the back of my thigh and under a knee, lifting it slightly and settling even closer to me. His lips move to kiss my temple and he starts to rock against me. If I thought he'd be down for the count, I underestimated him. The friction reminds me that I'm still hard, which I'd somehow forgotten about.

The rocking is turning into grinding and again with the porn star moans. I don't bother trying to swallow them since Neji punishes me by nipping my shoulder when I try to. Warmth so hot it makes my skin hum rolls over me in time with our moving hips and air enters my lungs in smaller and smaller amounts because the moan is near constant now.

Neji presses our cheeks together and whispers, near inaudible, "Love you"

As fast as Neji had come, I come faster and if Neji hadn't kissed me then, it would have disturbed the neighbors, soundproof floor and ceiling be damned.

We lie there for a good minute, equally out of breath and grinning at each other. Well, I'm grinning. Neji's upturned mouth and bright eyes are the equivalent of the cat that ate the canary. He does smug in a cute way though.

My bones are water and this very nearly makes up for the fact that this has been the most hectic week of my life.

Except that Neji's cell rings and we both note that it's already half past six.

He's late.

~!!~

After Neji leaves, as if on cue, Gaara shows up at my door. He's wearing a black, faux-fur trimmed hoodie that zips up the left side and dark brown cargo shorts. A not very conspicuous neon green belt and matching bandana tied around his face banditos-style along with his most sedate pair of black high-top converse sneakers completes his punk-espionage look.

It's barely past eight o'clock; I grin at him.

Gaara, true to form, ignores me and bodily drags me to my bedroom where he introduces himself to the contents of my closet and discovers that I don't have nearly as much black in my closet as he does.

He gives me a baleful look over his right shoulder, my favorite bright orange-swirl tee shirt in hand. I shrug, "Works for me"

Gaara shakes his head in a way that suggests exasperation, "Let's go"

I blink at him, "Where are we going?"

Gaara narrows his eyes at the shirt in his clutches and elaborates, "My house"

I gape at him. He ignores me and eyes my pj bottoms and oversized muscle shirt and repeats: "Get at jacket; we're leaving"

"Yes, Sir" I grab a jacket by the front door and we head out.

Downstairs, Gaara's chauffeur stands patiently by the car, nodding to me briefly as he opens the door for us. Gaara doesn't tell him where we are going, but the guy starts the car and drives like he knows where he should be going anyway.

We hit the underground parking of Gaara's building and he nods briefly to the driver, who remains in the car and ushers me silently to the elevator. The elevator buttons aren't numbered but titled. Gaara pushes the first button marked: 砂の.

I know Gaara is Japanese but it sometimes slips my mind, though his physical features and mannerism usually remind me on a sub-conscious level.

When the doors slide open, I'm amazed to see that it opens directly into a brightly lit coatroom. Both the left and right sides are lined with coats, and underneath them, various shoes. A collection of sneakers neatly lined up under and equally assorted bunch of coats and jackets easily identifies the space in the far right corner as Gaara's.

Directly across from us is another door made from what looks like a solid piece of glass. There is a mountain landscape depicted in colored glass and I wonder if it isn't Mt. Fuji. There is no obvious way of getting in, which doesn't concern Gaara who is currently toeing off his sneakers and eyeing me in a way that says I should be doing the same.

As Gaara hangs our jackets, I examine the glass door from closer, tracing my fingers over the bumps and ridges of the colored glass molded over the surface of the larger glass door. This is definitely the most expensive looking door I have ever seen. I finally notice a black box anchored to the wall right next to the door. It has a single red light and a now dead green light.

Gaara approaches and I watch, fascinated, as he waves his wrist by the box and the green light lights up and the door clicks open.

Gaara tugs it open and ushers me inside, the heavy glass door swinging shut by itself behind us.

"How'd you do that?"

Gaara understands that I'm talking about the door and simply grabs my hand and runs it over a bump under the skin of his right wrist. "Electronics", he tells me simply.

Pretty high-tech if you ask me, but even the apartment I share with Neji uses a pass card instead of keys.

Gaara leads me down the hallway, which is beige walls and black carpet and into the kitchen where Temari AND Kankuro, no less, are eating their way through a pizza. They both glance up and you can tell that my standing there in the middle of their kitchen is surprising the hell outta the both of them.

Temari recovers fastest and reaches for the remote to mute their in-kitchen TV, "I thought you said you had something to do?"

I commend her on stammering only very _**slightly**_.

Gaara shrugs at her, "Forgot something"

Kankuro can't stop glancing from me to Gaara and back, "And he's...?"

"A friend" Gaara finishes as though the question is fully rhetorical.

Temari and Kankuro exchange a look that neither Gaara nor I miss.

Grinning at the hilarity of the situation, I attempt introduce myself, "I'm Naruto and-"

"We'll be gone soon" Gaara cuts in, once again taking up my wrist and leading me across the kitchen and out into the hallway on the other side.

Glancing behind us, Kankuro is starring after us, pizza still halfway to his mouth and Temari is mumbling to herself. I turn back to Gaara, "You don't bring people over much, do you?"

I get the Gaara version of 'No...REALLY?' as he opens a door painted in black and drags me in.

Gaara is pretty eclectic and his room is like a work of art reflecting just that. The carpet in here is a shade of red matching his hair and the walls are painted black. The only thing in the way of furniture is a raised futon in the center of the room. Several old fashioned looking lanterns are hanging overhead and emit a softer orange-ish glow. All four walls are open closet space lined with clothes of nearly every shade in every color. Bookcase type compartments separate the colors from each other and some are filled with books and other with accessories. I can see an archway partly obscured by clothes on the left wall and it turns out to be Gaara's bathroom. There are three steps leading down into it and its completely round, forming a dome shaped ceiling and feels like a cave more than anything else with walls as black as the bedroom and fixtures the same red of Gaara's hair.

I turn to Gaara, wide eyed and amazed, "You have the coolest room I have ever seen"

Gaara gives me a bland look and seems to find my curiosity amusing but ignores me soon enough in favor of his clothing wall.

Abandoned, I crawl into his futon and sigh blissfully; the new apartment has a bed just as soft, if not softer that this thing and for a moment I forget about my crazy mission and snuggle into Gaara's pillow.

Something lands on my back and I reach blindly for it: a pair of dark jeans. I sit up and shrug, pulling them on. It isn't till I've zipped them up and buttoned them that I realize they are _**SKINNY**_ jeans. I glare at Gaara's appraising look and am about to complain when Gaara tosses a sweater into my face.

"Nice" I mutter under my breath and hold up the sweater to take a look: an incredibly deep mauve thing with huge front pockets and a high collar. The tag tells me helpfully that it's from GAP.

I knew Gaara was part fearless and part creepy but I clearly had no idea how much.

I shrug and pull it on too. What harm can it do? Besides Sasuke, who else is going to see me other than Gaara, and anyway, the point is that the stuff is dark, right?

Gaara seems satisfied and soon enough we are back down the hall, me waving cheerfully goodbye to the two sitting, still dumbfounded it seems, in the kitchen and out to the coatroom and into the elevator.

~!!~

Gaara tells his driver to wait and walks purposefully towards the large assortment of stone buildings just across the street from us, me tagging along behind, my eyes never leaving the place. _**THIS**_ is a boarding school? I never knew they even made places that looked like this!

Gaara slips onto the property and we hurry through the dark. I look around as much as I can considering the lack of lighting despite the lamp-lit pathways but we are avoiding those. By now, it's well past 9 o'clock if not 10 and very few people are still out.

Gaara leads me to a tall, brick tower like building and around to the back entrance. Despite the obvious age of the building, the back door is a heavy metal affair with a security pad and a stationary camera.

Gaara doesn't even glance at the camera and walks straight up to the door and knocks quietly, the metal reverberating under his fingers.

A few minutes later, the door clicks open and a guy, probably slightly older than us, with green eyes and hair that somehow seemed white in the dark lets us in.

The boy looks at me only in passing and settles on Gaara with a mild expression, "Try to be gone before 11 and don't get caught"

The space between Gaara's eyes peaks slightly, showing that he's frowning and doesn't look at the guy but over his shoulder, to the stairwell behind him, "You wouldn't have let me in, Kimimaro, if I was going to get caught"

The newly dubbed Kimimaro elaborates by nodding in my direction, "I meant him, not you"

Gaara shrugs, uncaring, "Same thing"

Kimimaro seems to accept this answer and disappears up the stair without another word.

Vaguely insulted, I glance around and realize that this is a storage room by the looks of the extra pillows and sheets among other things stacked down here, "He's awfully friendly"

Gaara listens from the bottom of the stairs and motions to me, "Coast is clear; let's go"

So far so good, I think.

~!!~

It's been maybe twenty minutes. Gaara and I are climbing the dark, unused service stairs to avoid bumping into anyone we shouldn't. I should feel apprehensive since this isn't something I do everyday but Gaara's confidence in what he's doing puts me at ease. At least one of us knows where we're going.

At the top of the stairway, a heavy door with a regular key lock is our last barrier until we actually get into the dorm. According to Gaara, the service stairs will only get us as far as the fifth floor.

"Are you sure about this?" I whisper, alarmed at Gaara's excellent break and enter skills after he effortlessly picks the lock and quietly peeks around the door.

Probably sensing the return of my unease, Gaara actually answers, "Positive"

We enter the lavish hallway and Gaara makes a beeline for the marble spiral staircase leading ever upwards. I follow, subdued and nervous.

We stop on the eight floor and Gaara stands guard by the stairs, "Room 88"

I hurry down the hallway and find the room. Gaara hurries after me and motions for me to go in.

I turn the doorknob and slip inside.

The room seems empty as far as I can tell. I turn to glance back at Gaara, but he nods towards the general darkness ahead of me and steps back into the hallway to keep watch, shutting the door halfway.

I turn back to the room and my eyes adjust slowly to the dimness of the lamplight from the far desk. There is a four-poster bed that looks like it hasn't been slept on yet and a bare nightstand and an empty closet.

I spot what must be Sasuke's bags lying by the closet, unopened.

Tentative, I step further into the room and shiver slightly from the breeze coming in from the balcony, "Sasu-"

Standing just beyond the billowing curtains, I can make out a shape.

Behind me, the door slams shut and my heart leaps into my throat. I turn around on the spot and head for the door, thinking of Gaara. I make it halfway there before hands catch hold of my upper arms and drag me back.

I struggle briefly, scarred witless before making the connection between the arms hauling me back towards the bed and the only other person in the room who could have grabbed me.

I catch a shadowed glimpse of Sasuke's serious face, "But Gaara-"

Sasuke drags me onto the bed and puts my hands on his shoulders. Babbling about Gaara, I still manage to follow what's going on.

Sasuke boosts me up and I grab hold of the wooden top I hadn't noticed over the bed. It's a tight squeeze, but with Sasuke's hand nearly up my bum with the pushing, I don't manage a protest as I squeeze unwillingly into the space between the wood panel and the ceiling.

"Don't move", Sasuke whispers seriously.

The wood panel creaks ominously and I suck in a breath and do as I'm told.

Seconds later, I hear Sasuke hurry into bed and settle just as the door opens again.

Light spilling in from the hallway leaves the person standing there impossible to discern clearly, but one thing's for sure, they're likely to kick me out if I'm found.

Said person steps into the room and heads to the balcony, shutting and what sounds like locking the doors before switching off the lamp and returning to stand in the doorway.

The night watch seems to think everything is in order, because, whoever they are, they shut the door and leave. I hear footsteps echoing down the halls and desperately wonder where Gaara's gotten to.

Below me, when everything is quiet again, Sasuke shifts out of bed, "Come here"

I pull myself to the edge and peer down at Sasuke. He holds his arms out to me and I reach back. Grabbing my wrists, he gently pulls me, trying to make as little noise as possible.

I'm thankful for the dark because I'm sure that if I could see, I'd be freaking out about the height I'm being dragged down from, but Sasuke holds firmly to every inch of me and hoists me down silently.

I lean backwards too far once I'm on my feet and tumble into the bed.

Sasuke stands over me, face completely shrouded in the dark, "What the hell are you doing here?"

I stifle my regular reaction when I hear the toneless inflection of his voice and tell him as simply as I can manage:

"Looking for you, asshole"

Sasuke scoffs, and tells me in a patronizing tone: "You really are the biggest idiot I've ever met. Just because I transfer schools doesn't mean the world is fucking ending"

"I resent that tone of voice and no, you assume way much about the world ending part", I tell him, taking the opportunity to burrow into the luxurious sheets under me, made somewhat at ease by his frosty demeanor. This is generic pissed-off Sasuke; I can work with this.

Sasuke steps closer to the bed and sits on the end like he'd rather not come near me, "You really are something"

I peer hard at him, unable to tell his facial expression because of the moonlight behind him, "Why are you here?"

Sasuke continues as though he hadn't heard the question, "I could do anything to you. Gaara's gone and you'd risk getting caught if you left now. If I pretend not to know you, they'd call the police and you'd be handed over to social services, right? Or you could stay here", he continues coldly blasé, "and I could beat you…or rape you. Any terrible, irreversible or painful thing that comes to mind"

I shiver and scowl, trying for indifferent, "That doesn't sound like the answer I was looking for"

Sasuke laughs and I relax a fraction. He peers at me from where he's sitting, dark eyes narrowed a bit, mouth twisted in what must be an amused smile but looks like a manic one in the shadowy dark, "Think I wouldn't?"

I swallow my saliva, survival instincts I didn't know I had coming to the fore keep me silent. He wants provocation, I realize, my blood turning to ice in my veins. He wants a reason to prove me wrong. Well, fuck it, I'm used to his mood swings by now, so I know what to expect. Let's try a new tactic, shall we?

I glance at the bedside table and turn on the lamp, illuminating Sasuke's somber face. Guess he was serious; try not to faint Naruto, "Did something happen? Why are you living in dorm? Is Itachi-"

The moment Sasuke hears that name, he flinches, but taking a closer look, I see it's because he's furious. He stares me down, daring me to open my mouth again, "Do you want me to hurt you?"

Silently, I inch further up along the bed and press myself against the headboard. This is looking more and more like a repeat performance of the attempt at molestation I've already been subjected to; maybe if I stay very still and very quiet he'll lose interest?

Sasuke seems to realize this and backs off, eyeing me with an oddly neutral expression, "You always poke your nose into my business. Keep it up and I'll break that nose"

I get a little angry despite myself, "Does anyone else ask you? Does anyone else give a damn? I ask because I'm trying to figure out why you're so fucked up in the first place and what the hell Itachi has to do with it"

Sasuke shrugs off my outburst and reaches for his bag. I watch him pull a carton of cigarettes, select one and light up, "I thought you hated when Itachi smoked?"

Sasuke smirks, the cigarette dangling from his lips like it was born there, "I picked up the habit and he stopped. He doesn't like to share with me"

I want to argue the twisted logic in that but I'm distracted by Sasuke's change in demeanor, "Where is he? Haku says you guys already sold your place"

Sasuke takes an impossibly long drag and talks through the smoke, "He dumped me here and left with Kisame"

I stare at him, "But-"

He waves away what I was going to say, "I won't be here all that long anyway", and he winks at me and adopts a mocking tone, "Don't worry"

Sometimes I wonder why I bother, "What do you mean you won't be here all that long?"

That dangerous look comes back and Sasuke prowls closer, sitting next to me. He takes my hand, me watching dumbly all the while, and plucks his cigarette from his mouth with his free hand and holds the butt so close to the skin of my wrist that it singes a bit, "Feel that?"

I nod, mute and waiting to see what he'll do.

Sasuke looks me in the eye, "This is how I feel every time I see your face"

Smiling slightly and still looking me in the face, Sasuke draws the butt along my wrist. I yelp and try to tug my hand out of his grip, tears springing unnoticed to my eyes from the pain. In contrast to my burnt flesh, Sasuke's grip is ice cold and I glare ferociously at him.

Sasuke let's me struggle and brings the cigarette back up to his mouth to take another drag. After a moment of stalemate starring, Sasuke looks at my wrist and I do to. It's already cooled but my stomach churns at the sight; burnt or charred just about cover it and I know it's gonna scar. Sasuke blows lightly mint-smelling smoke under my nose, "…and that's how I feel when you ask me questions and say you care"

I swallow nervously and look at Sasuke. His face is oddly serene, like he's not sitting next to me and mutilating my wrist, "No matter what you say to me, Naruto, consider this", he pauses, taking into account what's left of his cigarette and I watch transfixed, somehow unable to believe he's going to do more damage as he pulls a final drag and tightens his hold on my wrist before lowering the burning orange tip to hover over the center of my palm, "I have to watch you turn your back and leave every time because you still don't understand that I either want you completely or not at all"

Sasuke doesn't look at me when he presses the butt into my palm. The pain gives me the strength to wrench my hand away, finally, and I punch him, my awkward left hand still connecting with a satisfying crack.

I cradle my right hand against my chest and cautiously watch Sasuke. He' s still carefully not looking at me and the tension in his shoulders bellies the confidence he seemed to have had while hurting me. I glare silently at the back of his head, willing it to explode, "I've figured something out"

Sasuke inclines his head to show me he's listening and I continue through gritted teeth, trying my best not to shout, "Clearly we have a communication problem. I ask you a simply question and you go fucking crazy, and for what? So we can end up here? Are you telling me you're satisfied with confusing the hell out of me? That you can't sit down and talk to me like a sane person?"

I'm trembling, I'm so angry and the Sasuke I want to have a confrontation with is gone, replaced by the silent thing sitting next to me, "What is you're bloody problem? You know it, so why can't you just tell me? You can't possibly expect me to believe you like me when all you have ever done is pick on me, or talk down to me, or hurt me. The 'us' in the equation has always been you slowly killing me, nothing else. Why do you think I'm dating Neji? Because he abuses me? He's your fucking polar opposite for Christ's sake"

I've run out of jarring things to say and hold my tongue from loosing the things I know I can't say; about Itachi and about what I've pretended not to know about Sasuke's past. That's for another time, if there is one.

I don't register when Sasuke has moved closer, arms braced on either side of my waist and starring me in the face, eyes like coal: dark yet burning.

I watch him and pointedly stare him down, "That's a nice bruise"

Sasuke shrugs, head lowering and dark hair tickling along my neck. Baffled by his behavior, I again miss his sudden movement.

The hand around my neck is familiarly cold and I swallow reflexively when the hand tightens. I open my mouth and find the hand tightening a second time.

Sasuke shifts my face towards his, hand never leaving my neck and leans down, unhurried, to look me, "You never learn"

He tightens his hold until my vision grays in the corners and I black out.

When I come to, my head's like a jar of cotton.

"Naruto?"

Gaara, standing at my side, eyes displaying something I've never seen in them before: anger.

I look around for signs of Sasuke but we are already outside, by the back gate.

I concentrate and my mouth moves to answer but no words come. What the fuck just happened? Was that Johnny the Homicidal Maniac or Itachi? Worse, was that twisted person in there even Sasuke at all?

I look up at Gaara but he only shakes his head, indicating that this was neither the time nor place to ask questions and hoists me to my feet, out the gate and towards his car parked across the street.

The chauffeur says nothing and Gaara tells him simply to drive us home.

~!!~

Neji has been gone a whole hour.

The tears have long since dried on my face.

Gaara, whose been looking after me since Neji stormed out, seems not the least bit uncomfortable with his black eye.

He's talking to me gently, as if trying not to jar me, "What happened?"

I look at him, but I can't answer. My mind is still trying to wrap itself around Neji's anger: the immensity of it. He'd taken one look at me and it's as if he'd known where I'd been. He didn't ask Gaara a thing; just slugged him. Then he left not a word or second glance in my direction.

It's been an hour.

Gaara's black eye is turning a deep near black mauve that's wholly unpleasant to see. Slowly, feeling alien in my own place, I head to the kitchen.

Gaara follows silently.

I grab some ice and press it to the corner of his eye, barehanded.

Gaara doesn't even wince, but he can look me in the eyes this way, "What did Sasuke do?"

I feel strangely insulated, as if the world as I knew it was made of cotton, or at least the air was. Gaara's words seemed to enter my ears as if spoken through glass and my ability to understand what was being said to me is nonexistent.

What had happened to me?

Had Sasuke tried to kill me or warn me off?

The harder I think about it, the less I can comprehend.

Gaara's watching me intensely, speculatively, "Maybe you should go to bed"

If I'd been in my right mind, I'd have noticed that Gaara never talks nearly this much, in complete sentences no less, but I only nod, surprising keen on the suggestion though none of my higher order brain functions seem to be working.

Neji doesn't come home that night.

~!!~

Haku watches me, not able to completely mask his relief at my throat having no lasting damage, other then the blue, fingertip shaped bruises I'm sporting: four fingers and a thumb.

I feel perfectly fine, except that I can't talk.

Shika is sitting and supervising on my left, "It's probably shock"

I glance up from my cereal and cock my head inquiringly.

He grimly crosses his arms over his chest and smiles ruefully, "I can't imagine what happened, though you'll have to write it down for us later, but the reason you can't talk is probably shock. That and the fact that your windpipe is nicely swollen shut"

Shock, huh?

I turn back to my cereal, eating more slowly. Not automatically being able to talk to people around me has already caused a bit of tension and as far as my actual throat was concerned, it felt gravely and more or less useless.

All I'm told about Neji is that he left a letter for Shika that I am not privy to.

Well, fuck that. I've been screwed over hard enough for the next 24 hours to be pain-in-the-arse free guaranteed. I'll pass on any other stress inducing circumstances, gracias.

The phone rings and Gaara, presumably in the kitchen, answers. Gaara sounds fairly neutral so I guess he's either talking to Temari or Kankuro.

Haku wanders over to the window and stares unhappily out.

The doorbell rings and I glance up but Shika pulls me back from half sitting up, "I'll get it. Eat your stuff"

I watch dumbly as he exits.

Alone with Haku, I grow slightly uncomfortable. Haku and Shika are honest to God my best friends, and I know this because this is the first time in my lifetime that I can say that and be sure about it, but I wonder, not for the first time, if this wasn't over the edge as far as I'm concerned.

Haku turns half to me, but is still starring out, "I can only think of one person who'd do that to you"

I swallow thickly since it's not like I can answer.

Haku runs his hands through his hair in such a way as to tuck loose hair behind his ears and turns to me, eyes very sad, "He's not some pet project Naruto. He's a living, breathing person. He's reckless and clearly dangerous and you can't keep trying to help him…especially if this is the result of trying to pick apart his feelings"

I gaze at Haku, seeing his point and wanting to argue it out of habit, but I'm unable to.

I scrunch my face at him instead.

Haku laughs a little and sobers in the same instant, "I know how you feel, wanting to help and all but I need you to face facts: He's dangerous and willing very much to hurt you. Not only that, but every time it's the same thing. He opens up a little and something happens to make him slam even more tightly shut. However, there's a point where you have to stop. It's already been dangerous, so it can only become more dangerous. And Neji is beside himself trying to figure out how to keep you away from Sasuke"

My eyes widen in surprise; Haku knows something I definitely don't.

Haku sighs, "You won't like this but we've all talked about it. Neji isn't the kind of person to ask for help since he's normally so capable on his own, but he's been talking to us about it. It's hard for him because he's very private, but he asked Shika and me first and Gaara third and then Shino until we were all part of trying to figure out a solution"

I am a little angry, true, but mostly, I'm humbled. I realize that when I never talked about Sasuke to Neji, he'd already figured out what'd had me preoccupied in the first place.

Crackers…

Haku shrugs, "He wrote to Shika to ask us to keep an eye on you until he comes home, which we would've done anyway, because I suspect he needs some time to think"

My hopeful expression makes Haku smile, "So he's definitely coming back"

I grin, despite myself.

Haku shrugs at me, "You're definitely not off the hook yet though. You're going to have to explain what happened when he gets back and we are going to decide a course of action based on what you can get across to us"

His grave face makes me want to turn my face into my cereal, which has gone pathetically soggy.

Someone knocks quietly at the door and I look up and find Shino standing there, frowning deeply.

I smile at him and he nods a greeting at Haku before coming to sit by me. His hand reaches out to touch the bruises and Haku watches as Shino slowly fits his fingers over the marks. They exchange a charged look. They seem to be avoiding the topic of my injured right hand, but I guess this is the greater of two evils.

I know what it looks like, and they already know what it is, so I know at least that the shock has somewhat diminished for them, it's just the circumstances they won't like.

Cripes, why me?

That aside, I feel fine. It doesn't feel like I was nearly strangled. My throat is sort of closed up, but it's not more painful more then it is awkward, so I'm managing fine. An unholy amount of brain cells may have died and I can't actually speak yet but I feel as though I've survived this more than just barely.

Presently, I'm sleepy again, so Shino takes my tray and boogies down to the end of my bed where Haku joins him and they sit, watching me drift off.

If I think the look they don't think I see them give me is bad, I can only imagine what Neji's will look like.

~!!~

TBC...


	16. The Dark Side of the Sun PrtOne

Ebra; Cheers to those of you that let me know you are still reading. Hope everyone had a great Christmas. The fic is going to be winding down. This is part one of three and then there might be another chapter and an epilogue. Cheers for still reading.

Warning(s): Mild Language, cliffhangers…

Disclaimer; I'm just having a bit of clean fun. I have no real claim to the characters depicted in this work of pure imagination.

~!!~

Purple Cocaine Prison

"The Dark Side of the Sun" Part 1/3

~!!~

{Naruto}

The bruising has gone down. That's the most positive thing I have to report when it comes to the way the last two days have blown over. I've basically been placed under house arrest as has been vetted by my boyfriend and supposed friends and I'm banned from seeing Gaara to boot. Apparently my co-conspirator is also doing time under the watchful eyes of his older siblings.

It is safe to say that I am not having the best time of it either.

Neji and I have yet to have 'the talk' and Shika has been dubbed king of my business when Neji isn't around, which has been practically never since the evening he stormed off after giving Gaara a serious shiner.

Haku spends every bit of free time he has either nagging about something I couldn't care less about or looking so apprehensive I'm reminded of the damage my little stunt has caused the people who care about me.

Shino, bless him, had enough sympathy to sneak me his Wii which I'm basically using to combat brain rot and the onset of early mental retardation.

"If you play that all day, you are definitely going to numb your senses until you loose the capacity to catch basic sense…wait, you never had that capacity to start with"

I don't spare Shika half a glance. I know he's just as mad, if not madder, at me then Neji is, but he's turned up the dial on his sarcasm lately and it's gone from lukewarm to hot to ultra scalding.

The only thing that saves me from having to dig up a replay is the fact that I've temporarily lost my voice.

In an effort to still be a smart ass, I indicate to him the card board sign I've got slung around my neck that reads: 'Can you stop shitting on my lawn?'

Shika scoffs under his breath, "Classy…"

I shrug my shoulders, my eyes never leaving the screen as I play Mario Galaxy, as if to say: 'I try'.

Shika mutters to himself and starts rummaging in my stuff behind me.

I don't pay him any attention because I've been through this invasion of my privacy scenario with him before and there's no use getting worked up over it; according to him I probably won't ever have privacy ever again and I will just have to deal with it...unless he just unearth the remote and uses it to turn off the TV while I'm in the middle of something.

I sigh, defeated and chuck the controller over my shoulder; what is it now?

Shika makes a show of putting the newly liberated remote in his back pocket and takes a seat at the end of my bed, back to me, "I'm pretty sure you know how much you upset us with that dumb bull-caca you pulled but as mad as we are, you are still living and breathing. I can tell you I don't appreciate your level of stupidity but I'll get over that; I just wanted to tell you that even though you are an idiot, I'll probably forgive you…someday. I gotta tell you though, Neji just called and he's gonna be here in half an hour to talk to you. I'm pretty sure there isn't going to be anything left of you when he's done, so I just wanted to get that in before I head out"

I was in the middle of rolling my eyes when he started talking and it turned into full on mock-fainting by the middle of it, but the second he mentions Neji, I cringe.

Shika basically just declared the beginning of the end.

Shika glances at me over his shoulder and eyes me seriously, "He cares a lot about you. I wasn't sure about it when you started out, but it's obvious now. I hope you have answers for him"

Shika sighs; seeming defeated, and makes his way out.

Sobered up, I hunker down into my comforter. This is going to make or break for us for the last time, I think.

I bury my face in my pillow; am I going to be able to get out of this one?

~!!~

I was dreaming at first, I'm sure: its semi-darkness and Sasuke's face looms into view, all distorted and blurry except for the bright lit end of the cigarette dangling from his lips and the crazy eyes peering out at me from his face. I watch him reach for me in slow motion but when his hand closes around my neck, time speeds up so fast I'm reeling from the nauseous feeling I get from my vision swimming and my airway collapsing in Sasuke's cold grip.

That moment when you cease to think straight; is that when you know you're going to die?

I wake up every time I have that moment of clarity in my dreams, and this time is no different.

I open my eyes to the ceiling above me and remind myself that I'm still here and that Sasuke didn't kill me; whether he didn't manage to or was interrupted by Gaara doesn't matter as much to me as it should, though it is a serious indicator of how hazardous Sasuke is to my health. I'm just happy to still be here.

With a start, I realize there is someone in the bed with me. A hand lands next to my head on the pillow and I feel a body roll into the dip in the mattress created by my body.

Hair sweeps across my forehead.

I blink owlishly and keep starring at the ceiling.

He doesn't say anything; I feel it when he shifts and the fingers of his other hand fit themselves over the fading dark purplish-blue bruises on my neck.

Despite the fact that I know who this is, my whole body tenses and winds up so tight that I can feel my lungs trying to seize.

He takes his hand away but still doesn't say anything.

He knows me pretty well; I eventually suck it up and turn my head towards him, looking first at his arm and following it up to his face where I finally look at him. He knew I'd cave.

Neji's eyes are a mixture of calculating and worried but he remains stone faced overall.

The longer we stare at each other, the more uncomfortable the moment seems.

Trying to ease the tension and be cute all at once, I lean up on an elbow and put my lips against his. For a long moment, he doesn't even blink, but he eventually turns our press of lips into a chaste kiss.

I am so relieved I just let my head fall back against the pillow and let go the breath I was holding.

"We need to talk"

I look up at him and very slowly nod.

He rolls away from me and sits up.

Sighing as quietly as I can, I roll myself up too and am surprised when Neji presses a notepad and pen into my hands.

"Since you can't talk", he explains patiently while he tucks hair behind his ear.

We have a second moment of awkwardness when I nod and stretch; his eyes fall on my neck and I immediately readjust the bandana I've been using to hide the bruising.

Neji sighs loudly, frustrated and turns away from me completely.

I stare at the notepad and slowly put pen to paper: 'Are you mad at me?'

I nudge Neji's shoulder and he glances at the notepad before giving me a piercing look, "You already know I am"

I nod: 'Mad that I didn't tell you what I was thinking or mad that I'm still worried about Sasuke?"

Neji gives me a long look, "Im mad", he starts, "because he is going to hurt you again and again until he can either have you or kill you and you have no objections about it"

What am I supposed to say to that?

Neji, seeing me pause, continues quietly, "Are you going to keep doing this to us?"

I look everywhere but at Neji, searching the walls and the ceiling for an honest answer, finally: 'Are you going to break up with me? I will understand if you want to"

Neji reads and rereads what I wrote; he takes the pen and pad from me and writes back: 'I don't want to break up with you but what's going to be left of you if you keep doing this to yourself?'

It's my turn to read and reread and I don't have an answer.

Neji's hand on my arm startles me but I don't resist when he pulls me against him and presses a kiss to my fore head, "I'm going to explain something to you and I want you to listen very carefully"

I nod against his shoulder and he puts his chin on top of my head and takes a steadying breath, "I didn't know half the things I know now before I met you. I never knew I lived in such a small world. That there was a me beyond my family's expectations; that there was more to me then I knew. You are unlike anyone I have ever met or will ever meet and you have a problem unlike anything I've ever seen"

I look up into his face, baffled.

He calmly smoothes a hand through my hair and elaborates, "You are addicted to helping people; even when they threaten you, even when they push you away, and even when they hurt you"

What is he trying to say?

My face must showcase everything I'm thinking because Neji presses a kiss to the side of my face and continues, "I think its subconscious. That it's something you think you can give people you care about. That, because it's essential to you, you believe others need it just as much. And your right"

I let the words flow over me, not yet understanding.

"The problem then isn't that you're addicted. It's what drug you pick up when you need a fix. I'm pretty sure Sasuke is your equivalent to cocaine"

Is that the way Neji sees it? Is it true?

Neji cradles me against his chest and puts his chin back on top of my head, "I don't want to leave you but I won't stay and watch you do this to yourself. If you can't make a choice, then I'll have to make it and my mind is made up…"

I shiver against him and hiccup under my breath.

"I want your whole person as mine. Not in pieces and not with anymore issues then you already have. I signed up for this; for you. I didn't sign up for Sasuke and his abusing of the person I love more than anyone else"

I try to pull away and look at his face but he holds me to him. I quit struggling and bite his shoulder to let him know I'm frustrated.

I can feel his small smile against my forehead before we both sober up as he finishes: "Remember when we had that talk about Sasuke before? Remember that I told you that you have to choose? I'm taking that choice away from you. Your mine and I'm yours; there isn't room for anyone else. If you can't accept that, then help me let you go"

He's right; I realize suddenly, my eyes getting suspiciously wet all of a sudden. I can't keep doing this to us. I am happier then I've ever been. I have everything I could possibly ask for.

And I'll mess it all up if I pick Sasuke.

"I love you"

I croak it more then I speak it but Neji hears me and looks me in the face.

He seems tired out, like I've never seen, and I start to understand what I've probably put him through the past two days.

I want to tell him I'm sorry but my voice decides it's made its appearance for the day and fails me.

He just nods and uses the corner of his really nice t-shirt to wipe my eyes, "I know you're sorry. It's written all over your face"

I put my arms around him and just let it go. If I'm tired then he's exhausted; there is no reason to put him through this.

I pull away and grope for the notepad and pen. I pause before I write but when I do, I'm fairly sure it's what I want: 'I won't do this to us. I want what we have. I think I'll need time to figure this out"

Neji's face registers relief for the first time since we started this conversation and I know in my gut that I've said the right thing.

But there's this tiny part of me that I don't manage to squash that's saying something alien and when he starts to kiss the tears off my face, his tenderness towards me just makes me cry harder because I know deep down inside that there is a part of me that will never let Sasuke go.

~!!~

After I cry myself out, Neji insists that I eat something.

I leave the bedroom to set up camp on the sofa in the living room and am happy to see that all the guards aka my friends have vacated the premises.

I want a grill cheese and Neji heads to kitchen, his inner neat freak poking out as he picks up random things lying around on his way there.

As I watch him, I realize how much I missed having him home with me: how much I stand to lose if I can't personally lay my Sasuke obsession to rest.

Question is: how do I do that?

Worse still; will I really be able to? Even after what I said to Neji?

It's a sobering thought to know that if Neji and I ever have to have that conversation again, we are definitely gonna be over. Three strikes are all you get traditionally.

Neji wanders back over with my grill cheese and some cranberry juice and he watches me eat with eyes that can barely stay open.

When I see that, I chew even more slowly and wait him out. After my fourth three-minute bite, he lets out a breath and closes his eyes.

By the time I'm taking my last bite, he's dead asleep.

I quietly chug my cranberry juice and fish his cell out of his pocket before pulling the throw over us.

I look his cell over with a bit more enthusiasm than any normal person should, but mine's been 'confiscated' and I haven't touched one in days.

I immediately start texting Gaara; Hey, padre. Dead or alive?

I hit send and get a reply instantly; You aren't allowed to speak to me

I wanna laugh but I don't wanna wake my husband; But you're allowed to speak to me I hope?

There's a pause this time that let's me know Gaara is probably frowning at the phone; You aren't mad at me?

Both my eyebrows shoot up into my hairline; Maybe in the twilight zone. I miss your sorry ass

Gaara's reply is heartwarming; Miss you too

I grin; I'd pay cold hard cash to hear you say that to me in real time

Gaara's ever present weirdness rears its funny shaped head; When we get married

I scoff; Since when are fridge trolls and humans compatible?

…

Nice comeback

Gaara doesn't waste time on answering that comment; Do you remember what happened?

I sober up some; I was kinda hoping you could fill in some blanks

Gaara's answer is slow in coming; I have to tell you something first

I cringe theatrically even though he can't see me; Shoot

I hit him

My eyes and mouth go the same amount of round, I think; Sasuke? U hit Sasuke?

Gaara sends me a rapid text; He let me

My mind is boggling. Sasuke let Gaara hit him? I convey this to Gaara; Why?

I think the weirdness is in full effect today because all I get is; Take a nap

I shake the phone wildly until Neji stirs next to me and I settle down; You pain in the ass. WHY DID SASUKE LET U HIT HIM?!?!

I am not surprised that Gaara doesn't answer but I'm still pissed.

He's definitely getting a piece when I catch him, that guy.

Just because it makes me feel better, I send him these choice words; Douche baggie

Still nothing, which isn't anymore than I expected, and I finally leave the cell alone.

Anyone else I text will just get worked up over the fact that I am even trying to contact the outside world.

Fuck it: I will take a nap. I curl into Neji's side and promptly get to napping.

~!!~

A few days later, I am still plotting Gaara's untimely demise when Haku brings me the most hilarious piece of info known to man.

Gaara has a childhood friend- stalker.

Curled up on the sofa with Haku, who has spent the past week taking pictures of this interesting phenomenon, fills me in.

"Gaara can't even be mean to him and his random comments bounce right off the guy", Haku's telling me as he checks through his camera pictures to find the right ones, "Here, look-it"

We huddle close together and look at the first picture; Gaara is wearing a leopard print LMFAO t-shirt, ripped skinny black jeans, a shinny silver studded belt, his purple Vans slip-ons, and a light blue head band. He has a light purple and black checkered sweater slung over his shoulder and seems to be chewing on his lip piercing in the most uncharacteristic mix of irritation and affection I have ever seen.

Standing next to him, hands gesturing wildly as he talks animatedly, is a guy about a head taller then Gaara. He's wearing a white-tee that reads 'Spring-Time of Youth' in black funky print, blue jeans, and a pair of lime green, black and white Osiris shoes. He has a tattoo on his neck that looks sort of like a blossoming flower and has his tragus pierced in his left ear. He's about twice as broad as Gaara and looks like he probably works out on a regular basis.

What's really shocking about this guy though is his face; he's got the friendliest, most open face I've ever seen on a guy. His hair is really a deep black, with choppy bangs that fall all the way into his really big, equally dark eyes, and a smile that could probably melt chocolate.

I die laughing, "Who is this guy?!"

Haku gives me conspiratorial look, "His names Lee"

He's looking at Gaara like he's the reason the sun rises in the morning, "Wow. Look at Gaara's face. How long have they known each other?"

Haku lets me flip through the other pictures; Gaara thumping Lee on the back of the head with a text book, Lee giving Gaara puppy dog eyes while Gaara looks resolutely away, them sitting nonchalantly together eating sushi.

Haku puts his head in my lap and closes his eyes as if to nap, "Apparently, they've been to school together as kids and even went to the same martial arts dojo. Lee's literally like a big puppy and Gaara's this feral cat and all they do is harass each other. You have to see it to believe it. He even calls Gaara pet names"

I laugh myself off the sofa and take Haku with me.

Neji pokes his head out from around the corner and gives us a once over before shaking his head and disappearing back into the kitchen.

I purse my lips and take another look at the guy, "What's he like?"

Haku, who was giving me evil eyes for capsizing us off the sofa, suddenly starts laughing, "He's like the most basic guy you've ever met. He drinks water all day and nags when there's no veggies on your plate. He's literally an ultra athlete too: he can play anything. And he's a gentleman"

The more I hear about the guy, the more I wanna meet him, "Does Gaara get along with him?"

Haku makes a face that's a cross between wanting to laugh and frown, "That's where it gets funny. He calls Gaara Gaa-Chan when Gaara's not around and acts like his big brother but it's the opposite when Gaara's there"

I feel my eyebrows trying to take another trip back up to my hairline, "So he's playing nice around Gaara but he's actually watching out for him?"

Haku nods, "And the craziest part is that Gaara actually puts up with it, like it's a chore but he owes it to Lee or something. It's not awkward, but it definitely seems curious"

My interest is peaked, "Do you like him?"

Haku gives me an amused look and whispers; "Even your boyfriend likes him"

I give Haku big eyes, "Neji too?"

Haku glances towards the kitchen before he gives me a big-eyed nod.

"I wanna meet him"

Haku grins, "I thought you'd say that. He's hanging out with Shika and Gaara right now but they'll be over later for dinner"

I clue into the dinner part, "We're having dinner?"

Haku sobers somewhat, "Well, things have been good lately…you've finally got your voice back"

I stare into my hands, "That better not be the only reason we're having dinner"

Haku nudges me with his shoulder, "It's a good enough reason, I think"

~!!~

Turns out that Neji was hiding out in the kitchen because he was setting up, and as soon as he's done, I'm told to go and get dressed.

I have a shower and spend five whole minutes tracing the whirl tattoo on my stomach. I brush my teeth for good measure and try to do something with my hair, which doesn't work, obviously.

I head back into our room and try to find something to wear that isn't too bag-man-at-home and end up in ripped jeans and one of Neji's tees. I tuck my necklace under the neckline and appraise myself in the mirror behind the door.

This will only be a big deal if I make it a big deal, right?

All I have to do is play it cool.

I wrap an orange bandana around my neck and venture out.

Haku and Neji both got ready before me and are loafing in the living room and talking quietly. I make a lot of noise for good measure and jog in and jump in between the two of them, "Is anyone here yet?"

Neji smoothly switches gears but I catch a glimpse of Haku looking embarrassed, "They're on their way up. Going to answer the door?"

I grin and go for easy going, "Sure"

Neji kisses the side of my face and gets up to go back to the kitchen and leaves me with Haku.

I whip around and give him a look that speaks volumes.

Haku wilts under it and puts his hands up in his defense, "Don't bully me into telling you, please"

I stick my tongue out at him, "I won't ask but I want you to know that I am not an idiot that can't tell people are talking about him behind his back"

Haku pretends to consider this, "So then you're a genius that never doesn't anything stupid that has people plotting ways to maintain your welfare?"

Touché.

Abashed, I'm literally saved when the doorbell rings and I vault off the sofa to go answer the door, Haku smirking at my departing back.

I'll get him later, I decide.

I kick my shoes aside at the front entrance and answer the door.

Shika kicks off his shoes and nudges me with his elbow on his way past me, "I'll leave Gaara to introduce you guys: the washroom is calling my name"

There's this funny half-laughter in his words and all of a sudden, I'm left with Gaara and Lee.

Gaara is looking after Shika with narrowed eyes that promise a painful death but then he shakes his head, defeated, and turns to me.

I watch him hesitate and I make a snap decision. I fling my arms around him in a big hug, "Awkward is for strangers, remember?"

Over his shoulder, Lee grins at me and I smile back.

Gaara gingerly pats my back but I can see the relief in his face when I pull away.

Seeming to compose himself in the very same instance, Gaara gestures towards Lee, "This is Lee"

I smile at Lee, "Nice to meet you"

Lee hesitates too, and I figure it's my day to play diplomat, and I give him a hug that he returns with a surprisingly strong squeeze.

"So", I say noticing for the first time that they both have stuff with them, "I guess we better go in?"

Gaara and Lee toe off their sneakers and come in.

On our way to the kitchen, I get an eyeful of the two of them together.

Gaara's wearing khaki capris and a red shirt that matches his hair. Lee is wearing black jeans and a dark green hoodie. At the junction where the hall opens into the living room, Gaara holds out his bag to Lee who takes it without an eyelash and grins at me over his shoulder before heading off towards the kitchen where Neji has poked his head out.

Gaara turns and closes a hand around my wrist and drags me into the living room where Shika and Haku are laughing quietly to themselves.

Gaara doesn't spare either of them a glance and promptly drops onto the sofa with me in tow.

Shika stretches leisurely, "Wasn't too heavy, was it?"

Gaara glares but doesn't answer.

Haku swats Shika and tries to redirect the conversation, which I haven't caught onto, by the way; "That social worker that was looking into your business has officially quit looking; that's the good news. The bad news is that he's now a student councilor and Kakashi is trying to add another notch to his bedpost"

Isn't that Iruka guy a man?

When I connect the dots, it must show on my face because the room at large starts laughing at me.

I knew that pervert was worse then I thought!

~!!~

Actual dinner is a hilarious piece.

Gaara and Lee brought sushi and sake and Neji actually baked a cake.

At first, we are all behaving but as dinner goes on and people start getting brave with the sake, things get funny.

I realize though that even while Shika and Neji have a small cup that they are nursing, Lee is the only one that hasn't touched his.

When I voice that observation, Lee actually turns red; "I'm a weird drunk"

I grin, "What's the worse that can happen?"

When Lee still refuses, Gaara picks up his cup and drinks half of it down without batting an eyelash and sets the cup squarely down in front of Lee.

Lee gives Gaara a pleading look that Gaara smirks at as if daring him.

With all of us looking at him expectantly, Lee starts sweating bullets, "Don't say you weren't warned"

He takes the cup and drinks it down with a small wince.

I don't think there's an English word that can describe the way Lee gets when he's drunk.

~!!~

The next morning, Lee hasn't stopped apologizing to Neji and me and even skips class to help me clean up.

Neji is pretty amused and I haven't had that much fun in a while, but Lee doesn't seem to believe me when I tell him so.

After Lee drank last night, it's like he became a different person; he started singing in Japanese at the top of his lungs, busting out in random karate and dancing with each of us in turn when Haku put music on.

There isn't anything funnier then the look on Neji's face when Lee dipped him after a pirouette or Shika's yowl for help when he got slung over Lee's shoulder in a fireman carry.

The winner though, is when he tackled Gaara and blew a raspberry on his stomach.

Gaara still isn't talking to him, though I get the feeling that he knew damn well that Lee would get like that. Gaara probably knew it would cheer me up and was taking a bullet for the team.

Presently, I watch Lee un-flip the sofa he flipped last night like it weighs less then I'm sure it does.

I am happy to have him with me instead of cleaning up alone but I can't resist bugging him a bit, "Any idea what that was about?"

Lee makes a sheepish face, "I think I was trying to build a fort"

"Out of sofa?"

Lee groans, "I'm sorry, okay? I did warn you"

I laugh at his pained expression, "Never mind that, okay? I'm not mad. That was the most fun I've had in a while, whether or not you believe me"

Lee still doesn't want to believe me but I see some of the tension leave his shoulders.

We keep cleaning up and are both badly startled by the sound of a wild ringtone going off.

We scramble around looking for the phone and when I find it, I hand the unfamiliar cell to Lee.

He checks the number and answers promptly, "I'm safe and I'm sorry I didn't come home last night"

A booming voice on the other end of the line talks up a storm but Lee only smiles into the receiver: I don't think he's in any trouble, by the looks of it.

After he hangs up, Lee starts telling me what's up, though I wasn't going to pry; "That was my Uncle Gai. I've been living with him since I was orphaned as a kid. When Gaara moved, I was pretty bummed so my Uncle proposed that I come over here to finish my studies"

I pause, "You were orphaned?"

Lee shrugs, still straightening the sofa pillows, "I can't even remember what my parents looked like let alone living with them. My Uncle's the only person I can remember ever taking care of me"

Though Lee doesn't seem bothered, I personally decide to switch the direction of the conversation, "Did that tattoo hurt?"

Lee looks up and grins, "The neck's a bit sensitive so I won't lie to you and say it was the easiest tattoo I've ever gotten, but it is my favorite. It's a lotus blossom. You have any ink?"

I almost say no when I unconsciously smooth my hand over my stomach. Wryly, I lift my shirt and show Lee, "This counts I guess"

Lee stares and looks away abruptly when he realizes he was probably staring, but there's something in his look that gives me pause.

"What is it?"

Lee bites his lip, "Has Gaara seen that tattoo?"

I think hard but can't recall whether I've shown it to Gaara or not, which I tell Lee.

Lee looks apprehensive, "It looks like something I've seen before"

"Seriously?!"

I've been to plenty of tattoo parlors in my free time and I've yet to find someone who has any idea about it.

Lee walks over and takes a second look and it's like I've just told him his Uncle died.

Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I prompt Lee, "Where have you seen this before?"

Lee looks me in the eyes, "Are you sure you want to know?"

~!!~

It's a yakuza tattoo.

Apparently, when they are smuggling people, especially children, it was a way of affixing important information on the body. Because it's written in code, if ever the shipment process is interrupted, the tattoo will seem unrelated because it isn't common to all smuggling rings.

Or so elaborates the small amount of information that is scattered about it on the net that Lee looks up for me.

I'm not as shocked as I think I should be: if that's really where I came from, that basically explains my lack of any kind of paper documentation before I entered the American foster care system as a baby.

I call up Tsunade because she's the only person that can probably give me some answers. When I ask her what she knows about my tattoo, she asks me to come over.

I ask Lee to come along and we catch a bus over.

The apartment building feels like home but not and I can't help feeling nostalgic all the same.

Lee is quiet and anxious at my side.

Tsunade is stone faced when she lets us in and stays that way as she hustles us over to the small table in her kitchen and serves us too-sweet tea.

She chain smokes about three cigarettes before taking a sip of her now cold tea, "What do you think you know"

I tell her about showing Lee the tattoo and what he said.

She looks over at Lee and gets up to pull a tin of pirouette cookies out of a cupboard and hands them to him.

He starts chewing on one and it seems to help his nervous energy.

Sighing, she considers lighting up another cigarette but decides against it: takes a big sip of her tea instead, "I can't imagine where your friend would have learned this from, but I guess that's beside the point"

She looks me square in the face, "It's true"

I let the knowledge wash over me for a minute, "So how do you fit in?"

Tsunade rubs her hands tiredly over her face, "Back before you were born, I was a regular Japanese student living a normal student life. That is, until I met the man I would never marry but be tangled up with for the rest of my life"

She pauses and takes another breath, "You're a lot like him, minus the inherent perverseness. When we met, I didn't know what he was into. Had no idea what he was up to when he wasn't with me. We dated four years without my ever acknowledging he was a yakuza in training"

"I noticed the ever accumulating amount of tattoos. The tendency to never take me certain places or forbid me from talking to certain people: I just didn't want to deal with what that would mean for us. Wouldn't it all end when I started asking the questions that I already had answers to?"

"We started fighting. He'd disappear for days at a time. I started trying to follow what he was doing by watching the news and keeping up with the gossip. I was always a step behind"

She says that last part more to herself then me.

"That fifth year was our worst. He didn't confide in me anymore. He pretended to fool around with other girls to coax me into breaking up with him; which I did, several times"

She caves and lights another cigarette, smiling slightly when Lee coughs at the smoke, "I can't tell you exactly where you come from. I can only tell you how you came to me"

When I nod, she takes a deep drag and puts out her freshly lit cigarette, "It was the middle of the night when he came to find me at home. He'd never come to my house no matter how many times I'd invited him, but he knew where it was and that he had a standing invitation. It was raining": she squints up at the ceiling, "He was bloody, like he'd been fighting. He basically handed you over and told me where to wait for him the following day"

"My parents were away on a business trip, so I was home alone with you. You'd been freshly tattooed and you're whole body was wrapped in bandages. You cried so much; it was pretty heartbreaking"

"It rained all night and you only stopped crying when you passed out from exhaustion. The next morning, I waited for first light. I had a feeling I wasn't coming home ever again so I packed like I was going on a trip. I headed out to the rendezvous place and waited more than two hours. He never showed up"

Tsunade stops, slides her tea cup towards the edge of the table. We all watch it balance precariously before it falls and breaks loudly: she squints at the pieces, "A friend of his caught up with me before I got home and delivered a boat ticket to me and a bloody letter. Wherever you had come from, the people who wanted you had already been to my housed and turned it upside down. I couldn't go back, so I took that boat ticket and I left"

"When I got here, I wasn't allowed to keep you. As they saw it, we were both illegal and since I had no legal claim to you, the state placed you in foster care. My bloody letter apparently was an official request for asylum which they eventually granted. I kept tabs on you as best I could but I had to set myself up financially to qualify as a possible guardian to get you back and that took some time. I made friends during that time and had you unofficially released into my care when you were a little older. You were just one of thousands in that God awful system: no one noticed. You lived here with me as a tenant since I was trying to prevent anyone from being able to keep tabs on you through me and the rest is history"

I'm not upset; I'm grateful. Whatever life I had when I was born was going to end anyway: at least I got a second chance.

I finish my tea, "What was the guy's name?"

Tsunade smiles for the first time since she started talking; "His name was Jiraiya. He was your god father"

~!!~

There's more to it than what Tsunade told me but I can see how tired she is, so I drag Lee off with me with a promise to come by and see her in the next couple of days.

On the bus, we are both silent.

I can tell Lee regrets mentioning what he did, but I'm glad. I had no idea. It makes me wonder what my parents were like and what sort of place I was born in.

Lee mentions that he knows a nice bubble tea place when we are a few blocks away from our stop and I agree to go.

I follow him off the bus in a daze.

At the bubble tea place, Lee orders me something while I sit at a window seat and stare out into the street.

I start trying to connect dots. Like when I have those subconscious feelings of stomach pain sometimes: getting tattooed as a baby was probably brutal.

It also answers the question about my cultural background in part: I am definitely at least half-Japanese.

Despite how deep in thought I am, I don't miss the lone figure moving down the block, across the street.

I'd know that hair anywhere.

Just as Lee is headed towards our table with our teas, I grab him on my way out onto the sidewalk and quickly jay-walk.

Sasuke isn't that far ahead of us, but I don't want to risk falling behind, "Sasuke!"

He pauses as if frozen and turns very slowly. When his eyes land on me, I slow to a stop and we silently stare at each other.

Lee is looking back and forth between us, confused.

"Long time no see", I tell Sasuke unnecessarily.

Sasuke's eyes are on the bandana around my neck and I try not to bristle, "I wasn't expecting to see you. Ever"

I play it off, "Yeah, me neither. This is Lee, by the way. Where are you going?"

Sasuke gives Lee a once over and Lee, being the nice guy that he is, introduces himself.

Sasuke just gives him a long look.

Sasuke turns back to me, frowning; "It's not your kind of place"

I shrug, "How do you know what my kind of place is?"

Sasuke doesn't take the bait that easily, "You like vanilla. Me? Not so much"

"What does it have to do with ice cream?"

Sasuke's lip twitches, "Nothing. It has nothing to do with ice cream"

"Then where are you going?!"

Im getting exasperated: I've had a long day and I just want this sociopath to be straight with me. Is that so hard?

Sasuke seems to weigh the options in his head, "If I don't tell you, you and Big-Eyes will just tag along anyway, right?"

Lee is about to protest but I smoothly cut in, "Why are you stating the obvious?"

Sasuke plays all his aces, "Does Neji know you're talking to me?"

Lee suddenly get s a confused look on his face that let's me know that he's probably not been educated about my idiosyncratic tendency to look for trouble.

I shrug, going for carefree, "He's at school and I know for a fact that he has house duties after school"

Sasuke pulls a little sarcasm, "So what he doesn't know won't hurt him. Are you a masochist?"

Fed up, I glare at him.

Sasuke's face smoothes over for a second and he seems to come to a decision, "Don't tell me you regret this later"

And he promptly walks off.

~!!~

It's getting a little dark by the time we get to where we're going.

The Snake's Den is a nightclub; of that much I'm sure.

But Sasuke's right when he told me it wasn't my kind of place.

It's clearly not Sasuke's first time when, after descending a dimly lit set of stairs, we are barely glanced at by the bouncer guarding the door before we head in.

Inside is an S & M wonderland. Leather everywhere, velvet couches and curtains, and doors.

Lots of doors.

Sasuke seems to head for a deeper part of the club that ends up opening into a dance floor with a massive bar taking up the entire back wall.

Heavy music is playing, more purring base then anything else, and smoking is clearly allowed in here, what with the heavy film of fog hanging over the whole room.

I recognize the bartender immediately.

I'll probably never forget Kimimaro's white hair and green eyes.

Kimimaro is polishing glasses and by his side is a person so androgynous that I can only identify them as a man when I get really close.

He's pierced all over; a labret, two rings in the right eyebrow, a beauty mark stud, and both ears are lined with studded barbells. He's got heavy makeup on, designed in such a way as to be catty and a name tag partly obscured by longish black hair identifies him as 'Maru': clearly a nickname.

Sasuke greets Kimimaro by way of a nod and addresses 'Maru' directly, "I need a room"

The guy gives Sasuke a slow, easy smile that drips dangerous, "Which one"

Sasuke shrugs, "It just has to be soundproof"

Maru takes a look at Lee and me over Sasuke's shoulder, "Need toys?"

Sasuke shakes his head and Maru grins and takes a key off a keychain around his waist and slides it across the surface of the bar.

Sasuke slaps down what looks like more money then he should have on his person and takes the key.

Turning, he takes my hand and motions Lee towards the bar, "Drink whatever you want. It's on me"

He doesn't wait for Lee to reply and drags me back the way we came.

I stare back at Lee and motion for him to sit. The look on his face makes me laugh because we both know he can't drink.

The hallway, dimmer now because of the shadows cast by people coming in, is harder to navigate.

Sasuke keeps me close and soon enough, we come to one of the large doors.

Sasuke opens it and ushers me in.

The second it falls shut, all the noise is cut off.

In the silence, I turn to look at the room; there are no windows but it's warm and it's empty except for a low bed covered in that pervy velvet material.

Sasuke and I stand there starring at each other and I'm sure my face is saying something because Sasuke shrugs, "We're just going to talk right? This place is as good as any"

I think something finally clicks, "We're in a fucking S & M club"

Sasuke looks at me like I'm not speaking English, "I told you it wasn't your kind of place"

But it's yours? I don't have the balls to get into that with Sasuke, so I just make a bee line for the bed.

Before I sit on it, I decide I have to make one thing clear. I make sure Sasuke's watching me and I take the bandana from around my neck.

I watch him look at the bruises and the way his face cracks just a little makes the message clear, but I voice it just the same, "Things didn't go that well last time we decided to talk. You can't do that again"

Then, I sit.

Sasuke is still looking at the bruises but he slowly makes his way to the opposite side of the bed and takes a seat.

In the silence that follows, I start to feel the gears that shut off during my morning of revelations with Tsunade start to turn and sanity comes rushing back.

WHAT AM I FUCKING DOING HERE?!

I try to focus on not hyperventilating when I'm startled by a loud click.

When I turn to Sasuke, he's made his way further up the bed and has clicked a cuff around his wrist. I follow the chain from the cuff to a deadbolt on the floor.

I look up at Sasuke, "Are fucking crazy?"

Sasuke doesn't say anything except he holds the other cuff out to me.

Hesitant, I inch closer and am surprised when he hands me the cuff and holds his arm out, palm up.

I look at him to gauge his seriousness, "How is this a good idea?"

Sasuke's voice has an odd inflection to it, "You'll be safe"

This does satisfy my safety quotient though I'm not sure how comfortable I really am with the idea.

Against my better judgment but conceding to the fact that this is safer, for the both of us, I close the other cuff around his wrist.

Sasuke unconsciously tests his reach when he flexes his shoulders and it's apparent that though he can still move his arms, he can't take off the cuffs if I don't remove them. He's essentially defenseless.

I notice for the first time how this reverses our roles.

Sasuke lets out a breath he was holding and stares up at the ceiling, "Can you light me a smoke?"

I almost say no until he lowers his face to look at me and I can see not only what this is costing him, but the fading bruise on his lower jaw and the faint dark circles under his eyes.

"Where are they?"

Sasuke exhales heavily, again, "Back right pocket"

I reach around him and fish them out. Putting the cigarette between my lips, I light it, careful not to breathe any in, and place it between Sasuke's lips.

He takes a drag and slowly lets it go and I sit there and admire the sad way he looks cool smoking a cancer stick.

Sasuke let's the cigarette dangle from his lips as he starts to talk, "I owe you for doing that", he indicates my neck without looking directly at it, "What do you want to know?"

I crawl closer and sit next to him so that we are both starring across the room at the heavy wooden door, "Tell me everything"

Sasuke talks bout his brother's disappearance, how everything they own is now exclusively under his name, how there is no trace of Itachi or Kisame anywhere, how he doesn't know what to do with himself because, as much as he thinks he hated Itachi, he can't understand why this has happened.

He talks about how he can't fit in at school, how he can't concentrate, how he keeps channeling his frustration into anger that typically translates into him fighting just about anyone who looks at him the wrong way.

How he can't figure out a way to cope.

After I light his second cigarette, Sasuke surprises me, "What's eating you?"

I almost consider not answering but we're getting somewhere here and fair's fair.

I tell him what I just learned that morning, how little it actually means or changes, how much I went through as a kid, going from foster home to foster home, how little I used to feel I could trust others.

I talk about what Neji said, about the way I can't leave well enough alone, about how it's tearing into my ability to focus my energy on what I already have, about that piece of me that won't let things go.

What I don't say is that it's the part that won't let him go and that it's slowly ruining my life.

At one point, my head lands on his shoulder and we stay like that a long time, finally talked dumb.

Sasuke eventually breaks the silence, "Everyone has something they can't live without. Worse still, it's human nature to want that thing"

Is it? Are we fated to wrestle our way through our lives? Are we always going to have to fight with ourselves like this?

I'm exhausted.

Sasuke puts his chin on top of my head and I'm reminded of the way Neji likes to hold me.

A childish part of me wonders why I can't just have the both of them.

I'm leaning on Sasuke by now, so I feel and hear him sigh, "Do you really not believe I want you?"

I tense, "You've never said it like that"

Sasuke pulls back and blows cigarette smoke into my face, "You're never listening hard enough"

My eyes water and I start to cough at the cloying mint smoke scratching up my lungs, "Asshole"

He turns his head away so that he can reach his cigarette with a hand and flicks it over the side of the bed, "Do I scare you?"

I give him a level look that is interrupted by a second round of smoke that Sasuke blows into my face.

I thump him on the arm and I hear the smile in his voice when he says, "No worries. I'm out of ammunition"

Silence descends again when I finally stop coughing and Sasuke sobers, "We can't keep playing this game: nothing we have will survive if we do"

I don't want to have this part of our conversation but now that we are, I realize that it has to happen, "Then what do we do?"

"Do you love that guy?"

I know exactly who he means and my answer is instant, "Yes"

Sasuke is very slightly trembling against me, "Do you love me?"

I am careful to think hard before answering, "The part of you I know, I think I love. Whether you love me is questionable"

I'm trying to be funny but Sasuke isn't listening to that.

He exhales sharply, "Then give me tonight. If I can't prove it to you, then you can go back to him and forget about me"

He and I both know that isn't fair: that it's not that easy.

Not more then a week ago, he very nearly killed me. I almost can't understand what I'm doing here except that I can.

I owe this to myself, to Sasuke, and most importantly, to Neji.

I owe it to us all to be sure of my choice.

I can see why Neji didn't think I could make the choice for myself.

If I do this and I choose Neji, I'm going to have to keep this a secret for the rest of my life.

I make a decision, "Let me go home tonight and think about it"

Sasuke is stone silent.

I don't look at him when I continue, "It's been a long week. We're both fucked up: we shouldn't make a snap decision like this"

Sasuke finally speaks, "Is that what you want?"

He throws me a line so I decide to let some honestly fly, "I won't lie to you and say I'm not tempted but I won't do this when I haven't really thought it through. Besides, did you forget we left Lee at the bar?"

"Are you fucking with me?"

There's mostly anger in that charged statement but there's also a hint of something else that makes me persist.

I look him in the eyes, take his face between my hands and kiss him deeply.

It tastes like smoke and cranberry.

"I am not fucking with you"

I un-cuff him and wait: I need to see if he understands what a chance I am taking with this.

This is test number one: if we can't get past this, there's not going to be any hope for anything else we ever try to do.

Sasuke rolls out from under me and stands at the foot of the bed, face clouded.

Finally, "Meet me here in three days"

He makes to leave and pauses at the door, "I hope you know what you're doing"

Then, he's gone.

I sit there a few minutes before I realize what I've done.

I'm definitely going to hell for this.

~!!~

TBC.


End file.
